The challenges facing opposition political parties in rural Zimbabwe within 2000-2008

Abstract

It is recognised in greater circles that opposition political parties in both developing and developed
countries have an insurmountable task to achieve in ensuring and enhancing democratic processes.
They are the very institutions that are central in paving way for development in all spheres of life that is
political, economic and socio-cultural. For Zimbabwe, it is apparent that, at most, opposition political
parties have not been able to establish themselves or expand in terms of their operation, their quest for
democracy in order to capture the hearts of the rural populace where the majority of the electorate
resides. From this backdrop the paper seeks to examine the challenges and constraints militating
against the operation of opposition political parties as well as analysing the centrality of opposition
political parties in promoting development. The paper rounds off by making suggestions as to the future
of opposition parties in rural Zimbabwe. It further submits that there is an array of causes into the
ineffectiveness and inefficiency and subsequent failure of opposition political parties in Zimbabwe
particularly in the new millennium where a vibrant opposition political party, Movement for Democratic
Change (MDC), has been in existence.