Political wisdom for MDC and lessons from the past 15 years: Job Sikhala must contest as a starting point
By Elijah Mangwengwende
Our real problem is that Mugabe and ZANU PF do not believe in multi-party democracy and people are just too cowardly to confront that issue directly.
As long as the December 22, 1987 unity accord is not re-negotiated we are going nowhere – Mugabe has been buying time to destroy the MDC the same way he destroyed Zapu, ZUM, ZUD, etc now it is clear that some MDC functionaries are part of the grand plan to finish off MDC from within by blocking real cadres like Job Sikhala from contesting at the forthcoming congress.
I really do not understand such foolishness to say the least. Sikhala left, reflected and made the right decision to rejoin the struggle, yet some misguided elements or ZANU PF sponsored elements nicodemously plotted to block any attempts to attract more cadres who left and might be willing to rejoin.
Pure wisdom at this juncture dictates that Sikhala must be allowed to contest just like any member within the movement. Blocking him shows political immaturity and indecisiveness especially when people like Tracy Mutinhiri a well known ZANU PF cadre was allowed to represent MDC after falling out with her husband in ZANU PF.
These are words of political wisdom that may not be obvious to the casual observer but certain to inspire a new generation of politicians if Tsvangirai and the entire leadership does not heed them. At the same time we don’t need Solomonic wisdom to see dirty hands at play.
Clear facts about Mugabe’s political wisdom
For anyone to appreciate why MDC has not been as successful as Zanu PF under Mugabe let me explain that it all boils down to the difference between trying to be all things to all people (that is MDC) and being a specialist (that is Mugabe). Mugabe believes in a one party state and that has been his belief since the liberation days.
Just read his speeches from long ago and you find that the man has been consistent. Everything he does has been geared towards this objective. As a result he has no problem with strategy, all he does is change tactics to suit the situation but he will be working to preserve his one party state ideal.
To Bob the unity accord of 1987 is the real constitution of Zimbabwe and that accord clearly says that Zanu PF is the one party that all Zimbabweans must belong to. In fact the day the agreement was signed was on 22 December and that is now a national holiday in Zimbabwe as you know.
Therefore every year when we celebrate December 22 we are celebrating Mugabe’s one party state idea. I told Biti this very point when he was going for talks and I advised him that if he really wanted change towards multi-party democracy then the MDC had to put this Unity agreement and its one party issue on the agenda for the talks with Mbeki.
Apparently Biti did not believe me and therefore they never discussed this and we have the unfortunate consequences that we are witnessing today – a lot of bloodshed and insults in defence of the one party ideal that Mugabe believes in, thats the reason why the cadres in ZANU PF are strangling each other as if they have the divine heritage to rule forever, they believe in the one party state and wrongly believe they will rule till donkeys grow horns.
Mugabe has not changed – it is his opponents (both internal & external) who keep changing their view about him.
For example the people who withdraw their honorary degrees from Mugabe are the ones who changing positions – Mugabe was still a one party state disciple when they gave him the honorary degrees. He was busy fighting a war in Matabeleland to destroy Zapu in the 1980’s when they were giving him the honorary degrees!
After he succeded in destroying Zapu we then had peace as long as there was no significant opposition. Then since 2000 when the MDC became the biggest opposition since Joshua Nkomo’s Zapu we have not known peace. True to form Mugabe has been fighting to re-establish the one party idea that the MDC has disturbed.
Bob wrongly observed that the MDC got strong financial backing from the white business establishment he has been busy destroying white business interests in the economy – just to destroy the financial support base for MDC. Since the economy of Zimbabwe was still largely linked to white business, Bob’s strategy has unfortunately brought the whole economy on its knees.
But he does not care as long as that keeps Zanu PF as the ruling party – that is his objective. In the process of destroying white business he is creating a class of black business supporters under the indigenization idea and in this strategy he is copying the Chinese communist party’s reform strategy where they have co-opted rich people into what used to be a worker and peasant party.
That is why China is close to Mugabe’s heart – it is their one party political system he admires and wants Zimbabwe to copy. Ultimately that is what has motivated Mugabe’s political career for most of his life. It is a religion to him and that is why he is prepared to go to any length to defend it
It is my personal view that after MDC congress, destroying Mugabe’s one party idea with defined change ideas should be of great assistance to liberate Zimbabwe. We should as a party remain constant so much that people actually know what change we are fighting for. We can be more effective by devoting energies to attack the one party idea instead of changing Mugabe as a person.
That approach has failed to attract those who respect Mugabe’s role in the liberation of the country and would rather keep him as long as there is no one committed to multi-party democracy, not surprisingly our politics has become the Mugabe versus Tsvangirai kind rather than People versus Government.
It is a competition for legitimacy in leading the same political space. So far Bob’s experience in rigging and intimidation has won over MDC’s inexperience to counter the dirty tactics.
Future lessons
Two obvious points need to be made by the opposition – One, if we do not agree with the result we should give the world evidence of the correct result. We will not impress anyone with empty words about cheating, daylight robbery, etc.- we need to provide proof of rigging;
Second, if we do not agree but have no evidence of rigging, we should aggressively announce results beforehand to finish off idea by ZANU PF to announce rigged results to the world as we cannot rely on ZEC.
For example in 2008 ZEC demonstrated obvious bias, because there was no reason why the result announced was delayed when Zanu PF publicly announced that they would accept a result that would give them a chance for a runoff.
It is therefore obvious that the delay was either designed to cook up the result to produce the runoff (evidence of which should be provided, otherwise it should be stated as a political statement for public relations purposes) or the delay was a way to extend the campaign period beyond the 21 days allowed.
Also there is reason for seeking outside help during future elections to avoid violence unleashed against the opposition supporters. SADC should send in more observers to be stationed in the troubled areas during campaigning and voting so that they serve as either a deterrent factor or they collect evidence to deny legitimacy to any contrived “victory”.
As part of the campaign for 2018, MDC must announce the transitional program for taking power, provide assurance to professional people in the civil service and security forces, provide assurance to look after the interests of genuine war vets, provide assurance to protect those with lawfully acquired land and promising help for those who are suffering from politically motivated violence.
What Zanu PF fears most is a confident MDC. By presenting a united MDC in 2018 Morgan will look statesmanlike and serve notice to Zanu PF that the votes they stole in 2013 will not be going to Bob again, so Bob is history as far as the people of Zimbabwe are concerned.
I wish Tendai Biti and Morgan Tsvangirai, Welshman Ncube, Margaret Dongo, Dumiso Dabengwa, Simba Makoni could recognize such obvious facts and act like winners for a change. Tinganakidzwa here nekuita opposition candidates for ever. Kana zvakadaro I will start my own because and name it MDC-E.
ZANU PF and Dr Grace are there for the taking come 2018.
Lets unite.
Elijah Mangwengwende is a long suffering citizen of Zimbabwe and opposition activist wallowing in foreign lands and longing to go home under a new government. He can be contacted on [email protected].
