Forum Party

The Forum for Democratic Reform was launched in May 1992 as a pressure group in Bulawayo, later reorganized as the Forum Party, lead by former Zimbabwean Chief Justice Enoch Dumbutshena.

Forums's agenda:
* Cut government expenditure
** Cabinet will be cut to 14
** only be 1 Vice President
** Deputy Ministers posts will be abolished
** Governors will be cut from 8 to 5
** the President’s entourage of 15+ cars will be cut (!)
** state visits will be reduced dramatically
** taxpayers money will not be used to fund the ZANU ruling party
* Reduce the budget deficit and indigenise the economy
** selling off parastatals and government’s shares in public companies to the people
** mechanisms will be implemented to ensure that when shares are sold preference will be given to disadvantaged members of society including blacks, women the disabled and ex-combatants.
* Improve the overall investment climate
** dramatically reducing taxation
** introducing a variety of new measures to make Zimbabwe more attractive to potential investors
** bringing an end to statements and policies such as grabbing businesses.

The immediate political impact of both organizations was low, scoring only 6% of the vote in the 1995 general elections. Supporters were mainly urban middle class, both blacks and whites.

The Forum can be regarded as the first manifestation of a cross-racial opposition against Robert Mugabe's ruling ZANU party.