ZPPD Technical Staff Workshop with three parties represented in Parliament, ZANU PF, MDC, and MDC – T in Nyanga (April 2016).
Zimbabwe Political Parties Dialogue
As a policy think tank, Zimbabwe Institute, (ZI), facilitates dialogue between Zimbabwe’s political parties with representation in Parliament aimed at achieving consensus on issues of national interest. Over the last 21 years, ZI, through the Zimbabwe Political Parties Dialogue, (ZPPD), has been part of historic political events which have shaped Zimbabwe’s political landscape notably in 2009, 2013 and 2018. In 2009, Zimbabwe entered into a Government of National Unity, (GNU), and ZI was part of the mediation that led to the signing of the Global Political Agreement, (GPA), between the three main political parties namely Movement for Democratic Change T (led by Mr. Morgan Tsvangirai), the Movement for Democratic Change (led by Prof. Arthur Mutambara), and the Zimbabwe African National Union – Patriotic Front (led by former President Robert Mugabe). Following the setting up of a GNU, ZI became the secretariat of the Joint Monitoring and Implementation Committee, (JOMIC), which was operational across all the 10 provinces and whose purpose was to monitor the implementation of the GPA. JOMIC was an interparty monitoring mechanism.
Between 2009 and 2013, Zimbabwe Institute played a role in the constitution making process through support to the Constitution Parliamentary Committee, (COPAC), a committee of the Parliament of Zimbabwe whose work led to the drafting of Zimbabwe’s first Constitution, Constitution of Zimbabwe Amendment (No. 20) Act of 2013, replacing the 1980 Independence Constitution which was based on the 1979 Lancaster House Agreement.
Building on this work, in 2018, ZI’s facilitation of dialogue on the ZPPD led to the three parties collaborating to draft a Code of Conduct for Political Parties, Candidates and Other Stakeholders which was promulgated into law on 28 May 2018 and is part of the Fourth Schedule in the Electoral Act [Chapter 2:13].
15 Member delegation from the Interparty Organization for Dialogue (IPOD), representing 4 political parties from Uganda with political parties represented in Zimbabwean Parliament after a workshop aimed at sharing lessons and strengthening interparty dialogue in the two countries, Harare (October 2017).
Ugandan delegate participating at the interparty dialogue meeting in Harare
A delegation of the three political parties representanted in Parliament meet with former President John Kufuor in Ghana
Hon. Nick Mangwana, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Information speaking at the media training workshop in Bulawayo
Participants at a Conflict Management Workshop for ZEC and political parties represented in parliament, Harare (May, 2023)
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Gender Equality & Inclusion
A key mission of ZI under this portfolio is advocating for inclusive politics and development, where women and youth inclusion is prioritised. ZI works with key stakeholders who include CSOs, the Zimbabwe Gender Commission, Women’s Caucus in Parliament and collaborates with political parties on the ZPPD to reach out to women in the different political parties. These initiatives include capacity building of women leaders across parties as well as across the age divide to promote intergenerational conversations.
This work on gender equality and inclusion extends to Parliament, where conversations within the Women Caucus helps to identify strategies that strengthen women inclusion across all political parties. In its collaborative work with CSO’s, ZI goes further to provide research that gives insight into the challenges faced by women in politics with a view to identifying solutions.
ZI remains committed to ensuring that the status of women in political parties’ changes to reflect gender inclusion at every level. The organization continues to work with parties and to conduct gender assessments with a view to identifying areas that require new programming to support gender inclusion.
Delegates at the High Level Intergenerational Dialogue to promote Women’s Participation in
Politics, Harare ( May, 2023)
Delegates attending the Harare Peace Pledge Signing Ceremony hosted by the Church in Zimbabwe, Harare (August, 2023)
The Code of Conduct and the Peace Pledge
The Code of Conduct for Political Parties, Candidates and Other Stakeholders, “promotes conditions which are conducive to free and fair elections as well as a climate of tolerance in which electioneering activity may take place without fear or coercion, intimidation or reprisals”.
The commitment by political parties to have the Code of Conduct governing elections is further underpinned by the Peace Pledge. Drawn from the Code of Conduct, the Peace Pledge is a summary of political party commitments to peaceful conduct during the electoral period. Since 2018, ZI has worked with political parties and other key stakeholders such as the National Peace and Reconciliation Commission (NPRC) to get political leaders to endorse the Peace Pledge. ZI in partnership with the Zimbabwe Heads of Christian Denominations invited political parties contesting elections to make a fresh commitment ahead of the August 2023.
Political parties are implored to continuously renew their commitment to peace and particularly, every election year by signing the Peace Pledge whose principles have been extracted from the Code of Conduct. The Peace Pledge is signed at the national and provincial levels by political parties participating in Zimbabwe’s elections.