05/07/2023
CCC CANDIDATE SELECTION PROCESS - A TALE OF SUCCESS & INCERTITUDE : By THE LADY LEECH
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The are myriad process metrics which can be used to ascertain the successes & failure of processes. Each of them reflect on the input & output to gauge effectiveness & efficiency. Though I noted that CCC has extremely excelled against all odds , it is essential to note that the candidate selection process has been met with jubilation , feelings of triumph, ambivalence and to some with clear disquietude. Supporters were interested in a definitive & transparent process whose outcome would be bonafide leaders from the communities. This to a greater extent is what the process produced .
There will always be winners & losers in a selection process. Though we all envisage a definitive or copper-bottomed process , we must accept that there has never been a foolproof process. We have noted how the ballot box method has hit the skids because of stuffed ballots , a manipulated voter's rolls & vote buying. There was therefore nothing astounding in the results which the CCC selection process produced. The results reflected a process whose success cannot be doubted by objective analysis. In the same vein , there are some grey areas whose red flags need serious attention.
The outcome data shows that this process has produced 210 MP Candidates and over a thousand Councillors. The net effect was a serious reservoir of young people whose appetite to work for the party and country is unmatched. Surely the next parliament will be an embodiment of vitality. Our parliament will change from a den of sleeping old people into an ideas & effervescent house. Having posited this development I will forever be proud of , I also find myself worried about the genuine concerns of some cadres who lost in the process , remain malcontent & feel swindled of a chance to represent this great & vibrant institution they have supported since its inception in 2022. I will refer to Tendai Biti (Harare East), Usher Tahwa(Glenview) & Freddie (St Marys). The process in these Constituencies had very close results. There was a notable difference from the other Constituencies where the winner of the caucases was clearly evident. Once it came to a few numbers , then the process seemed to choke. Bereka Mwana for a process is very contentious and archaic. Though effective to some point , but the trail of demage it leaves in communities results in societal conflict. What about transparency as well in these close Constituencies? If a Candidate wins the caucases and is outdone by vetting surely there must be a round table where the cause of failure is succintly explained as Ostallios would put it. Where a Candidate also loses the caucases on a very close call , then the results and the concomitant paperwork with their scores and the winner's scores laid bare infront of them. This will go a long way in addressing and alleviating the pain and accompanying emotions caused by failure. We are all human!
The communication of the process steps was very weak. Most Citizens were engaged in a process they just did not understand. To them it was cryptic & not well articulated. Scores of our supporters sought to understand the process steps but until today they cannot explain for example which starts - the vetting or the caucases! Questions such as - Who was doing the actual vetting? Who appointed those who vet? What steps does the vetting comprise of? All kept hitting my inbox. A CCC brochure which explained the process was brief and did not lay down with clarity how the processes within the process interacted
The time factor also caused a few qualms. Such a process whose owners are filled with enxiety and expectations cannot take too long and end up being tedious. Resources must be obtained and time frames set and followed. Though it is imperative that a process produces comb work , it is also true that the results be obtained within a reasonable time.
Having stated the above , let me also stress that this does not belittle the great work done by the CISP & all those behind the process.With input as Zero Gvt funding & output 97 percent fielding within a storm of the most expensive participation fees in the history of elections , the success story will be stored in the history books. In a nutshell , this process is worth repeating again after ironing a few grey areas which the Citizens themselves will point out. It is innovation par excellence. My plea to those who lost and feel outdone - There are always rigours & bottlenecks in all selection processes. This was a new process. We will do better next time. Let us accept it & support our nominated candidates. Nelson Chamisa won against Mwonzora. Morgan Tsvangirai opted for Mwonzora & imposed him on the members of the them MDC. He never sulked. He never fought. He never became an independent. He never forged signatures. He remained patient and resolute. Today patience has been rewarded!!!
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