MDC @15: Summing it all before bedtime

By Zisunko Ndlovu

Douglas Mwonzora, the spokesperson for the MDC-T recently announced that the party would host an anniversary to celebrate the party’s 15 years of existence. I hear the theme for this year’s celebrations is, ‘Towards the final lap in achieving real and total change’.

This theme, which could have otherwise earned less criticism last year when the general elections were held, the same elections that left Tsvangirai’s party a derelict opposition organ, will, in this year’s episode, be far more meaningless and suggestive of nothing.

My past articles concentrated largely on the shortcomings and lack of direction for this same party. They have hinged so much on giving knowledge to caring readers to be wary of falling victim to the phony promises packaged under the “democratic change” banner hardened by a regime change agenda and neo-colonialistic maneuvers; all to the service of the ‘Coalition of demons’ attacking Africa and weak states, galvanized by Barrack Obama’s United States of America plus the west’s quest for cosmopolitan dominion and how the party has tainted the country’s many more opposition movements yet to emerge – ruthlessly destroying their foundational credibility, even before they are formed.

At some point at the University of Cape Town in South Africa last year, Mr. Obama gave a clear admission on his country’s “African intent” when he warned “Don’t just assume that folks come here and they’re automatically benefiting Africans. And that includes the United States. Ask questions in terms of what we do”, he said.

Judging from the celebrations’ selected theme, I read the party is now mindful of the urgency to give way to other ambitious political hopefuls that wish to bespeak a challenge to the same British and Americans that they, instead, can outwit Morgan Tsvangirai in running laps towards ‘real and total change’ finish-lines in a considerable timeframe.

My fear does not lie in whether the MDC-T will be logistically fortunate enough to successfully hold the Mucheke event in Masvingo on 13 September. By the briefness of time now remaining, I grant it the benefit of doubt. My existent fear is on how the party will remain, going through to its congresses expected in October.

Literally now a lone ranger in safeguarding what is left of the movement for democratic change, Tsvangirai has graced a fair share of inauspicious events even before these major events, pictured primarily in the loss of the party’s goodwill ambassadors and the party president’s right-handmen, namely and unarguably, Tendai Biti, Elton Mangoma and Gorden Moyo. The latter having been the funding front face for the MDC-T which is now perturbed by an occasion of repelling benefactors including the US. The party’s coffers have run dry.

Although the celebrations will most likely change face to widen institutional cracks, the congress will undoubtedly be that lullaby song, strong enough to put everything to sleep. This will present a feeble MDC incapable of standing the 2018 heat against revolutionary Zanu PF. Even when every political organization is liable to encounter hurdles, in the form of internal strife and power struggles, mostly in the form of factions, the MDC-T has failed to contain the problem in the way Zanu PF has managed to handle the matter.

Nelson Chamisa assures Zimbabweans through the United States of America’s V.O.A (Voice of America) or Studio 7 in the psychotic belief that the ‘evident’ Tsvangirai-led MDC-MDC Renewal Team separation was, in actual sense, not a split but a rejuvenation of the party (that led by his boss). The whole charade, viewed through whichever prism, has rendered the MDC-T even weaker.

With the current fragmentation of the opposition, infighting within groups and the lack of political will and consensus, I do not see an MDC named after Morgan Richard Tsvangirai being capable of standing the 2018 elections with the same unfaltering durability and adventure as in fore-gone years. The opportunity was debut and erstwhile. It came just once.

The situation we are presented with is that where the country is running without a credible opposition party that can offer a fierce challenge to the Zanu PF government. Unless the MDC-T addresses its political immaturity, Zanu PF should never be blamed for running un-contested as the situation is seemingly pointing the dummy opposition ‘MDC’ is steered to a final sleep. Putting the leaking MDC-T house in order during the October slated congress after the break-away will never be a task so easy.

In Zimbabwe, many of the opposition parties appear or become active only during an election, and disappear when the election is over.

Most of the opposition parties in the country are established around the personalities of individuals, lack internal democracy, suffer from inter-party and intra-party conflicts, have severe shortage of finance, and lack strong base and experience. Their weaknesses also include bad organization and weak connection with their popular constituencies and uninvolving rudimentary pragmatism.

Zisunko Ndlovu is a political writer and social development practitioner from Binga, Zimbabwe. Send comments and suggestions to: [email protected]