Senators are elected by means of proportional representation based on votes cast in the National Assembly elections. There are 6 seats on offer in every Province and the higher up the list one is, the greater the chance of being elected. Conversely the lower down the list one is the less the chance of being elected. There is a further issue regarding the party list: to ensure gender equity, positions 1, 3 and 5 are reserved for females, with positions 2, 4 and 6 for males. One of the other understandings with my family in particular was that if my name appeared on the party list it should be lower down the list. The thinking behind this was that it was important to demonstrate solidarity with my colleagues in the MDC Alliance by standing but that we should leave the decision as to whether I should be elected to the good Lord. This is not meant to sound pious in any way – it is just so that if I was at the top of the list it would be rather like the Bulawayo East National Assembly seat – i.e. relatively easy to get elected. This way – ie making it hard – will convince us all that this is something our good Lord has in mind, not me manipulating my way back into Parliament.
So I am at the bottom of the list – number 6. This means that I will only be elected to the Senate if the MDC Alliance literally scores a landslide victory in Bulawayo. Given the massive contestation now underway that prospect is unlikely. Even though I am confident that the MDC Alliance will sweep all the National Assembly seats in Bulawayo it is unlikely we will secure the percentage of votes needed to secure all 6 Senatorial seats on offer.
I am comfortable with this and my family and law partners are happy with the compromise. I do hope however that the citizens of Bulawayo will give massive support to all MDC Alliance National Assembly candidates, which will be the only way to make the unlikely happen, namely my election to the Senate.
God bless you all.
Senator David Coltart
Bulawayo
15th June 2018
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