Constitution Watch 2/2018
Leader of the Opposition
25 September 2018
CONSTITUTION WATCH 2/2018
[25th September 2018]
Now elections are over Veritas is continuing its series of bulletins on implementation
of the Constitution
Leader of the Opposition
On several occasions, according to reports, the President has offered the post of
Leader of the Opposition to Mr Nelson Chamisa. Most recently, in an interview with
an American news agency in New York, he is reported to have said:
“We are going to introduce the office of the leader of the opposition in Parliament.
… Under the former administration, there was no formal recognition of the
opposition leader but now under my administration, we are embracing the
Commonwealth approach to parliamentary democracy where we recognise the
leader of the opposition who is given certain conditions and perks in Parliament.”
The reports raise two questions:
• What is meant by Leader of the Opposition?
• Can such a post be given to Mr Chamisa?
Leader of the Opposition in Westminster-style Parliaments
In countries that have adopted the Westminster model of parliamentary government,
the post of Leader of the Opposition is a semi-official parliamentary post given to the
leader of the main opposition party or group in Parliament. The post is largely
symbolic, but the symbolism is very important:
• It confers legitimacy on the opposition, by recognising that differing views must
be permitted in every democratic system. In a parliamentary democracy those
different views must be heard and respected in Parliament.
• It reminds the opposition – the main opposition party, anyway – that they are part
of the system of governance and have responsibilities towards it. In Britain the
title of the leader of the opposition is “Leader of Her Majesty’s most loyal
opposition”, a reminder that the opposition must be loyal to the State.
• It is an acknowledgement that an essential feature of a multi-party democracy
[which Zimbabwe aspires to be] is that governments change. Parties cannot rule
forever. A party that is now in opposition may become the governing party at the
next election.
Leader of the Opposition in Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe has had a parliamentary system since 1923 and the post of Leader of the
Opposition was recognised at an early date.
It fell into abeyance in the 1960s, however, due to a reluctance on the part of the
white government to recognise an African parliamentarian as leader of the
opposition.