Mudzingwa: MDC—you were warned!

By Tawanda Mudzingwa 

ZANU PF and Mugabe will never ever change! The age-old adage says, ‘a leopard will never change its spots’, and of late, the leopard has begun to bare its spots for all to see.

When the MDC, ZANU PF and MDC-M joined to form the GNU, most people were wary about this political arrangement. Some people say that Morgan Tsvangirai was headstrong, and bulldozed the party into joining the GNU.

Mbeki, of the ‘quiet diplomacy’, must have told Mugabe that the only way for him to manoeuvre out of the political quagmire that he found himself in was to accept the GNU. Only then, could Mugabe find ways to dig himself out of the hole.

To Tsvangirai, Mbeki must have told him that the only way for him to taste power is through the GNU, and then bring the change that he clamours for, from ‘within’. Most people warned MDC that by going to bed with ZANU PF, they should be prepared to bear the consequences—now the consequences are there for all to see.

First, ZANU PF, which was on its deathbed just before the GNU, has now fully recuperated. Thanks to MDC, which inadvertently supplied the much-needed prescription in the name of the GNU; they legitimized Mugabe’s presidency, gave ZANU PF the much-needed time to regroup and plan new strategies for survival.

At present, ZANU PF is comfortable enough to do away with the GNU. It appears that the roles have been reversed—now it is MDC that wants the GNU more than ZANU PF. At some point, Morgan Tsvangirai pointed out that the MDC ‘would stick it out’, that is, stay the full course of the GNU.

Second, the tactless Miliband unwittingly gave ZANU PF enough ammunition for their propaganda machinery to run at full throttle. Some people may argue that propaganda does not work, but the problem is that the international community cannot stand on high moral ground and justify the sanctions anymore.

Mugabe’s original claims that all along the British and their cousins have been working tirelessly to effect regime change have merit. Now, Mugabe can, and will make his argument to the ineffective SADC and the AU (African Union) based on solid evidence—Miliband’s statement. SADC and AU, as the guarantors of the GPA, are the only refuge that the MDC knows. It appears that this is their only predictable option. MDC has never displayed that they have a Plan B.

In planning, you should have the ‘best-case scenario’, ‘worst-case scenario’, and ‘the expected scenario’. Anyway, ZANU PF will argue as they have said before, that the suffering of the people, the free-fall of the economy, the acute food shortages etc, are consequences of the ‘diabolical, illegal sanctions”. They will insist that ZANU PF will implement the outstanding issues on the GPA in full, only when the sanctions are removed. In fact, this is what they are already doing, and they can justify their position. 

Third, the gloves are now off, and recently, Mugabe who still wields all the powers, has ordered ministers to stop reporting to Morgan Tsvangirai, forthwith. This is a calculated flagrant violation of the GPA. As usual, MDC, which perennially runs out of options, will seek the intervention of the ineffective SADC and AU. By going to SADC and AU, the MDC are actually playing into the hands of ZANU PF—that is exactly what they want them to do.

ZANU PF hopes that the outstanding issues be referred to the AU, where they are assured that the ruling will be in their favour. Dr. Bingu Wa Mutharika, President of Malawi, was recently elected to serve as Chairperson of the African Union. We all know the cosy relationship that exists between Robert Mugabe and Dr. Bingu Wa Mutharika. In fact, Dr. Bingu Wa Mutharika, admires Mugabe.

Recently, he named a highway built through EU funding, Robert Gabriel Mugabe Highway—what a brazen move! Second, Zimbabwe was recently appointed to the Peace and Security Council of the African Union, one of the bloc’s most powerful organs. The Peace and Security Council is concerned with resolving conflicts between member States and with helping sort out domestic political turmoil.

This is extremely bad news for MDC. Right now, the MDC should be thinking of the worst-case scenario; if SADC and AU rule in ZANU PF’s favour that the “diabolical sanctions” must go before ZANU PF fulfills its part of the bargain (GPA)—what is MDC going to do. The MDC was warned when they joined the GNU, and now that they have made their bed, they must lie in it!