The Sunday News
There is a question worth asking, and I know it’s very intimidating to answer especially if you belong to the opposition.
What will happen if Zanu-PF wins Bulawayo in 2018? To many, this is undeniably possible considering the possibilities visible since 2013 but difficult to openly admit. Shame is a chronic character that attacks the core of any self-styled champion that they do not want to envision alternative possibilities. We all are susceptible to fear of experiencing what we hate and death is such a palatable event, we all know that we were born to die, but we are perennially scared of death itself. This is the design of man, we are always scared of reality, and political possibilities are the worst fear of any opposition resident, especially in Bulawayo.
Well, today I thought of invoking what will be the biggest debate in Bulawayo, what if Zanu-PF sweeps the whole of Bulawayo, what will happen? I know the ready response is that they have failed for the past 36 years, what would make it any different next year? Well, remember they have shared that failure with opposition, in fact half of the epoch of the said failure is a shared experience. MDCs have been in existence for 18 years, which means the later 18 years have been contributed to by MDCs. In fact, the much opposition denied reason of our suffering-sanctions came in within these 18 years, drought, mass exodus of our professionals, and regionalisation of alternative politics have all been orchestrations designed in the later 18 years. So the failure of Zimbabwe is a shared whip by MDC, with MDC being the chief reason of our suffering. Let me further show you how.
Between 1980 and 1998, our economy might have been nose diving but the velocity sprung in 1999 when the labour movement decided to form a coalition with students and challenge the establishment. In that period, all administrative efforts came to a halt because a formidable power had emerged. I don’t want to deny that MDC was a force by then, because that will be political suicide — you concede when competition exists, that’s the best way to identify the weaknesses of your enemy.
Politically, Zanu-PF had to strap its political muscle which was more complacent by then, its natural; reaction to threat is standard action in any power contest. So this meant that the ruling party had to spend more time reviewing its political strategy and halt a lot of national programmes. This was coupled with a failed national democratic culture in opposition which displayed a lot of remote controlled politics, where the political tone, message, idea and agenda radiated the national plan and political correspondence. Opposition vehemently called in for sanctions on Zimbabwe as a strategy to pile up pressure on the Government. For the benefit of my not so apt readers, sanctions are used as an alternative tool to transform democratic behaviour in an oppressive system. They vary depending on the depth and intended transformation expected and are imposed by supra national powers who control the World Trade organisation, Britton institutes, EUAid and USAid, among a plethora of beggar-assisting organisations — enough about definitions, we all know what they are.
Opposition lies to the people telling them that they were only targeted, yet it is clear that the calling paved way for African directed foreign policies that were meant to cripple the political and economic independence Africa was establishing. This called for trade embargos on most Zimbabwean products, de-marketing of Zimbabwe as a safe tourist destination, and a lipid reaction to agricultural products in Zimbabwe because of the fast track Land Reform Programme. These among a legion of other global reactions to Zimbabwe’s politics as described and petitioned by the opposition in the later 18 years contributed to a lot of our suffering, so it’s absolutely unfair to label Zanu-PF as the sole reason of our 36 years in this quagmire.
Let us be realistic, I mean those who have had a fair share of both the early 18 years and later 18 years, you definitely are nodding your heads that the early 18 years were not as bad as when MDC came into existence. If you are denying this, then you are suffering from the same chronic denials I mentioned above, let go of the ego, our failure as a nation-if it exists — has been largely contributed to by MDC and its political strategies of de-marketing the country. So, with the 18 years of their existence and dominance in urban areas can we safely say they have brought changes? I contestably say Hayi! In as much as the Central Government has a critical role it plays in execution of politics, policy formulation is either poor or there is much attention placed on corruption execution in urban councils by the city fathers, talk of Bulawayo and Harare, classical examples #BCCmustfall.
Let us talk about the hydro politics, sanitation and drainage, fiscal management, resource distribution, and pro-active plans to accrue the much needed revenue to drive city projects. All these are micro-plans that need policy making prioritisation but have had minute attention in Bulawayo for the past 18 years. The city council wage bill is more important than the services we need, so it seems. It is scary to imagine that a Zimbabwean, in Bulawayo is earning that much.
Before we focus on national politics, let’s look closer home, do we have what we can celebrate except the pebble defence that Bulawayo is the cleanest city? Do people eat clean, in fact what is your experience of cleanliness when Egodini Bus Terminus is crawling with rampantly possible typhod, cholera, dysentery and diarrhoeal outbreak.
You in fact get dirty walking in the CBD than elokitshini because city council would rather focus on disconnecting water to rake in revenue for hefty salaries for the town clerk and the mayor than keep the city clean. MDC councillors would rather spend their time plotting on coalitions and joining another opposition than making sound policies that benefit the city. Surely, the Lookout Masuku renaming has been topical and they would spend their time attending civic organisation meetings where they lament their demotion from finance committees than challenge policies that slow progress of the city.
This other day I read the most disturbing justification on water shedding, who in their straight public accounting mind justifies such bleak strategies by referring to “30” years of doing it as a response to make us think you are working so hard to pump water? Who said length of existence is justification for continuity? Do we do wrong things for a long time and still see them right even if we now learn that it’s wrong? Come on people at the loud clock building, what do you take us for? For your own information, one can have experience in something and that experience may still be wrong — just like you are doing.
What makes it worse is before the torrential rains I once wrote about the city council devising water harvesting plans, and here they are — failed — as I said. We shall judge you on your failures which are many than your successes, you forget that history records itself and reminds you as well, we shall be there on that day when we cast that vote and new decision makers shift and shake the place. Brace yourselves.
Surely the end is nigh for MDCs, mark my words, people are fed up with their incompetence. The city cannot hold any longer considering an impending catastrophe on the coalition outcomes.
A split is fast brewing in MDC-T in the near months. The idea of coalescing with Runaida aka Dr Joice Mujuru shifting the three deputies to the peripheries of rewards will yield fractioning of the party. It’s not amazing how inconsistent Tendai Biti is when he rejoins Morgan Tsvangirayi, he has always been his boy, he always will be. The big question is what is the future of Thokozani Khuphe now that Biti might come on board together with the “Queen Bee”? Is there still space for her, I see a sacrificial lamb, she is the “Isaac” only that this time there won’t be any voice to tease down Tsvangirayi, he will definitely slay her.
As we prepare for a closer review of MDC-BCC and making sure that the electorate makes the right choice next year, let us remember that the choices we make on that day will affect our children and their children. Whoever is with them is not with us and such people should constantly be reminded how dangerous being with them is. Let’s think hard on what opposition can bring to us besides misery. It’s a whole lot more than that. It’s more misery. Don’t be afraid to go Madlela on them.
Siyamnanka uSaMamoe!
