Its carousing time for Zanu PF and MDC

By Mike Sambo

The democracy that many activists envisaged after a decade’s struggle is yet to be realized. The key questions that disgruntled Zimbabweans are now asking is whether or not we had been following the correct methods of fighting and is the ZANU PF regime the sole enemy or not?

The March 2008 harmonized elections and the period immediately following them brought a new face to Zimbabwean politics that undermined the principles of the people who had started the fight for democracy. MDC claimed to have won the elections but did nothing to defend their claim. Mugabe hung on, although his legitimacy was in crisis. The economic crisis caused enormous suffering and threatened total collapse of the state.

Mugabe had no other options than to negotiate with the MDC. But the negotiations took the form of an elite political deal. In September 2008 both parties signed the Global Political Agreement (GPA), mediated by the former South African President Thabo Mbeki, which provided for forming a government of national unity followed by writing a new constitution.

The government of national unity met some resistance at first from MDC supporters, because a partnership between MDC and Zanu- PF was like throwing a life-jacket to Mugabe in his weakest moment. Zanu-PF needed the settlement to regain legitimacy and re-strategise. On the other hand, years of fighting for few or no victories had gradually thinned the confidence and courage of MDC supporters.

From its formation the GNU was justified on the grounds that it would revive the economy through aid from the MDC’s western friends. What has the GNU achieved? Aid from the MDC’s imperialist friends did not come as promised although Tsvangirai’s first action as Prime Minister was touring around Europe soliciting funds; aid from the MDC’s imperialist friends was not forthcoming.

Rather, the dollarization introduced by the former ZANU-PF Minister of Finance Patrick Chinamasa shortly before the deal that has stabilized the economy somewhat. Workers can now effectively budget as prices of most basics are no longer sky-rocketing. Enterprises which had closed during the days of hyper-inflation are beginning to reopen creating some form of employment.

Most goods that had become scarce are now available again in shops but many are now beyond workers wages, which are still very low. Depending on your money, one can now go to a hospital or clinic and be assured drugs though you are treated by angry personnel who are crying for better wages. Universities are functioning again though tuition fees are too high.

The MDC finance minister’s budget not only disappointed the poor but also attacked them, saying that ‘’Zimbabweans should expect to reap from where they sow ‘’meaning no support from the government. Political freedom has increased but Mugabe’s inroads on democracy are by no means fully reversed.

The notorious Zanu-PF brigades seem to have treated a little, and one can now freely move around town wearing party regalia without fear of victimization, and the police are now acting more impartial. But the laws that Mugabe used to disallow political gatherings have not been repealed although the implementation has been relaxed. Most applications for gathering are now granted, but you still have to notify the police of any intention to gather.

It is in the open that Mugabe has been forced to a compromise he never imagined he would make. In 2006 Mugabe vehemently refused the MDC’s overtures for talks. But from the onset Mugabe had his own set of non-debatable issues, like the land issue and some key ministries like defence and state security that he did not want the opposition to have.

Mugabe had used the position in the government of national unity to frustrate the MDC. He has not sworn in Roy Bennett , the MDC’s choice for deputy minister of Agriculture and he influenced Zanu-PF’s congress to resolve that it will go no further in implementing the GPA unless MDC actively campaign for removal of economic sanctions slapped on Zimbabwe by the West.

One thing to notice is that despite other political differences ZANU PF and MDC have they all agree on implementing free market policies. Neither of them protested when the Finance minister called for accelerating privatization giving a deaf ear to scores of poor Zimbabweans already complaining about hefty electricity, water bills and not mentioning millions of poor people’s children who are not going to sit for their O and A level exams this year because of exorbitant fees .

Unlike yesteryear when the blame was on Mugabe`s misgovernance now it’s clear that both ZANU PF and MDC are counterrevolutionary in nature they are jointly destroying the welfare state, pushing for free market policies, and in the end the poor are to suffer effects of a crisis compounded by “naked capitalism” where only the rich survive.

This is an editorial from Mike Sambo from the September 2010 edition of the Socialist Worker newsletter.