Ncube MDC, ZAPU sink into oblivion?

By Mandla Tshuma

BULAWAYO — The Welshman Ncube-led Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) and Dumiso Dabengwa’s ZAPU have slowly sunk into political oblivion, with their little political activity suggesting that the two political parties may be fast losing steam.

The MDC and ZAPU joined forces in an alliance to stand together in the 2013 polls with the hope of causing an upset mainly in the three Matabeleland provinces of Bulawayo, Matabeleland North and South, which have been enclaves of the MDC-T led by Morgan Tsvangirai.

Dubbed the “green machine”, the MDC was most visible in the three Matabeleland and Midlands provinces where it conducted multiple rallies, well before other political parties jumped onto the election campaign trail for the 2013 polls.

ZAPU, at the time was also a force to reckon with as it traversed the political landscape in the Matabeleland provinces in the hope of clinching a few seats.

It appears, however, that since their crushing defeat two years ago to ZANU-PF, and despite the fact that the country has already been plunged into an election mode, the two political parties totter on the brink of comatose.

The MDC has had its plate full since the beginning of the year. It has persistently been rocked by internal disturbances while reeling from an exodus of senior party officials, whose exit has left the party severely weakened and ill-prepared to hit the campaign trail.

Former senior party members who have called it a day in the MDC include the ex-national chairman, Goodrich Chimbaira, ex-deputy national chairman, Frank Chamunorwa, former national spokesperson, Nhlanhla Dube and former Gwanda mayor, Lionel De Necker.

The former secretary-general, Priscilla Misihairabwi-Mushonga, also resigned from her powerful post to become an ordinary card-carrying member.

Political observers said the internal turmoil had left the party at its weakest point ever and had the effect of paralysing its activities on the ground.

Ncube, however, downplayed suggestions that the party could be sinking into oblivion, saying they were still very much a part of the political landscape.

He insisted that all political parties in the country have been facing serious challenges since the July 2013 polls.

“We have not given up on politics and are engaging the electorate. We still do rallies, but not as frequently as we did in 2012 and 2013. Last month, we had a rally in Gwanda rural and we are due to do another rally in the next two or three weeks,” Ncube told the Financial Gazette.

Meanwhile, ZAPU’s activities largely appear to have been curtailed by financial challenges dogging the party, that have seen it postponing its elective congress to December, from August.

It remains unclear if party leader Dabengwa would be seeking re-election. Strike Mnkandla, ZAPU’s alternate secretary-general, said while the party was primarily focused on preparations for the December congress, they were still in touch with their grassroots supporters.

“We have been quite active in Matabeleland South; it is only that our activities have not been that publicised. We also had a rally in Sontala (in Kezi) and Gwanda last month and our youths have been going around Matabeleland North, while women have been active in Harare,” said Mnkandla.

Despite financial constraints, the party’s leadership is still confident that the December congress would go ahead, with fundraising activities among party members in full swing for the event.

According to Mnkandla, US$10 000 is needed to secure a venue and cater for associated costs involved in putting together the congress.

Political analysts have cautioned that the only viable option for the survival of the MDC and ZAPU lay in either joining hands with other opposition political players, otherwise, they said, the two parties ran the risk of being rendered politically irrelevant.

“We are closely following the political developments in the country, but are against the ‘big brother’ attitude in the proposed pacts,” said Mnkandla.

Ncube said opposition coalitions should go beyond just removing President Robert Mugabe and his ZANU-PF party from power. Financial Gazette