The Sunday News
Micheal Mhlanga
What many thought is far or would not arrive is surely here — 2018, and as I have repeatedly penned on this column since 2016, #2018willtell.
Conspiracies mooting the postponement of that anticipated day are already emerging. In the wildest of fantasy illusions a government of national unity is being nursed out of fears of the glaring paralysis of opposition. The birth of more parties is also adding to the huge contingency of aspirant presidents, as well as the raise of independent runners for the House of Assembly. One wonders if the dedication to these offices by some is out of a genuine passion to serve or to be saved out of unemployment? Nzara inopenga!
In all this mingle and jostle as people shove and push their way up the political food chain, many have been oblivious to a hive of activity threatening our democracy happening in what was once termed a “democratic” movement. Made up of a berated pool of trade unionists, civil society executives and student leaders, the group adopted a culture of before-election-series crumbles. Ironically, clashes in the MDC have conveniently been towards, or immediately after critical elections, remember 2005, when they disagreed about senators, they split.
Another major one was after 2013, after 13 years under Morgan Tsvangirai’s tutelage, they realise his dictatorial tendencies and they split. Now in 2018 at the verge of having free, fair and credible elections, they are at the brink of a split and the centre of the split is still the same, the fingers are pointing at Morgan Tsvangirai.
I think as patriotic Zimbabweans we ought to have a discussion on the state and quality of our opposition if we are to have a healthy democracy. For long we have been silent as staunch vanguards of our national legacy and acolytes of the establishment, but democracy is much more threatened by a stunted opposition than anyone else.
The most disturbing thing is many of their members do not want to admit although they insidiously know the truth.
The credibility of our elections is weighed against the quality of our opposition and already the opposition has failed a lot of tests.
Firstly their poverty on policy alternatives as the incumbent is effectively and dynamically dealing with two decade long problems. Secondly, opposition’s focus is on its cracks that have been displayed by acute factionalism on alleged lines of sexism, tribalism and a rape of their own constitution.
Thirdly, Morgan Tsvangirai’s health does not permit him to be harangued in the scorching sun delivering lengthy speeches and it is a mockery to the majority of Zimbabweans who are hopeful of deliverables by the incumbent and those who want to exercise their democratic right by voting otherwise, what kind of alternative are you giving them?. Ladies and gentlemen, admit that you have nothing to offer and relieve the man to protect his legacy, start being a genuine opposition.
To be or not to be is the question
The existence of an opposition in any democracy signifies political tolerance and is a variable in measuring the political system in that country.
It validates respect of political plurality and credits any government. For many readers of politics, democracy is aligned with periodical election of leaders through a transparent, free and credible process and acknowledgement of dissenting opinions on how the state has to be governed.
To many, that is where the definition of democracy ends, but an in-depth analysis shows that a continuous participation of elected and non-elected individuals throughout a stipulated term, whether in Parliament, as civil society or as public servants whichever the office, fortifies the value and description of democracy.
The excellence of any government is hinged on the quality of alternative ideas prompted by an existing opposition through agreed on channels.
When a country has a stable and sanguine opposition, the quality of its contribution through various civil channels enhances the operations of the government and the lives of the citizens. Views from a healthy opposition are a litmus test for Government policies hence the populace enjoys and is protected by a well tested and verified policy. In the simplest of the terms, successful governments exist within a frame of a disciplined, organised, rich ideology centered and a genuine opposition.
Such is not the case with Zimbabwe, we can’t even take stock of “opposition” clubs fragmented from their mother democratic movement and yet claim to be prospective vanguards of social cohesion upon election. This may sound a bit harsh but truth is healthy in a democracy. One wonders what binds the crew of men and women who parade themselves as democrats when they have nothing to offer except to squander taxpayers money through allowances, cars and a political party fund which would go a long way in improving lives of our suffering folks. My argument stems from the nature of our opposition in Zimbabwe with particular reference to “The Movement” that never was democratic. If you may ask yourself at this moment, what does opposition offers which the establishment is not? Claimants of a hijacked manifesto cannot prove that the new dispensation had no such ideas all along. One cannot claim monopoly over an idea that improves the lives of both the governing and the governed.
It took Zanu-PF a week to respond to oposition’s17 year rhetorical problems. So for all this while, MDC was bound by a one-week-solution problem?
Now that it has been responded to what is left of them? It becomes evident that since the day of formation, the Movement for Democratic Change had no lasting ideology that distinguished them from any other political player. Theirs was a momentary disgruntlement which when responded to would leave many of them without jobs. How genuine was their movement for all this while when they rapidly sink into political irrelevance?
From Mugabe Must Go to Tsvangirai Must go.
The clear shift of the tire of Mugabe Must go to Tsvangirai Must go has been met with mixed feelings by many out there. Some are blinded by the “Save chete” propaganda yet the progressive ones are sure that the party is not what it seems to be. The idea of Tsvangirai must go did not start after his disclosure of his ailment (May God Heal Him) in 2016, it stretches way back to 2005 when he was suspended with a possibility of expulsion from the party but he instead left or was left (whichever way you choose) and surnamed the MDC.
In 2013 to 2014 we meet yet again a Tsvangirai must go sentiment which gave birth to the MDC Renewal and subsequently the PDP. From all these splits, it has always been the Tsvangirai Must go mantra, however, it’s the proponents of the “going” who end up going, although many of them have gone back to him recently.
Any patriot would agree that Save is not well and with his ailment he needs a lot, I mean a lot of rest hence politics is not the best prescription at the moment. With the recent revelations by Professor Welshman Ncube that Morgan is their Presidential candidate, one wonders why such old and educated men are confident moot fielding a visibly ailing man. Why is MDC not taking a leaf from Zanu-PF? Zanu-PF set the example of what renewal entails before a party dies into outright oblivion.
Wake up my fellow compatriots! How healthy is the opposition if they are not compassionate about a man’s life? Is this about loyalty or political expediency such that you would want to give Zimbabweans an ailing option?
Since 1999, MDC got paid for chanting the “Mugabe Must Go” rhetoric, flashing red cards with the same inscription to mimicking sports referees with whistles that Mugabe Must Go.
Mugabe is now gone, why can’t the democrats resolve themselves and wake up to the reality of “perpetual secession”? It’s not possible!
That party was brought together by a thirst to share donor funds which culminated in more gory fights within their camps. I would argue that the issue of senators: to have or not; was also advised by how much funds they would have to reduce from their shares to those who were going to be fielded as senators. It has always been about money and the Mugabe Must Go project had a huge financing until it became a broken record.
Now that Mugabe is gone, there is nothing left to tell to go because to them, their fight was directed at a person yet Zanu-PF is a formidable ideology and locked in a strong and disciplined Chimurenga culture with national aspirations and servitude at the centre.
After, the renewal of Zanu-PF now the mass sings a new song; ‘ZANU-PF IHOMWE INOKWANA TESE’. What are the lasting effects of this song to the arena of power in Zimbabwe?
