Maravi

(THE HERALD) Tsvangirai: Charity begins at home

Tsvangirai: Charity begins at home
By Caesar Zvayi

MY cousin, from the mother’s side, has a six year-old son who is friends with another six-year-old in their neighbourhood in Budiriro. The other boy comes from a relatively well-to-do family, so to speak. The boys literally grew up together, and spent a lot of time together and so on. Naturally, when the time came for the youngsters to attend pre-school, both sets of parents enrolled them at the same day care centre.

My cousin is not as well-off as the parents of his son’s friend, who afford nicer toys and clothes for their son, among other things. So my cousin’s son admires his friend so much that he copies everything he does, it came as no surprise that he learnt to spell and write his friend’s name before his own.

When my cousin discovered it and called me to share the news, we had a good laugh about it, but such a situation, when it relates to adults — particularly politicians aspiring for national leadership — is not a laughing matter.

For that is what happened when the who-is-who in the opposition MDC factions and their civil society hangers-on turned out in full force to mark the EU National Day at the residence of EU Head of Delegation, Mr Xavier Marchal in Chisipite last week.

Morgan Tsvangirai, Arthur Mutambara, Gibson Sibanda, David Coltart, Lovemore Madhuku, you name it, they were all there cavorting with and fawning before western ambassadors like excited pets. The MDC faction leaders momentarily put their differences aside and made a show of unity for the benefit of their hosts, some of whom were reported to have demanded a united front to confront Zanu-PF next year.

Now my problem with the opposition leaders does not come from their choice of associates, after all, contrary to opposition claims Zimbabwe is a thriving democracy where the individual’s right to freedom of association is sacrosanct, a right enshrined in the supreme law of the land, the Constitution.

The problem arises when the same individuals, who fancy themselves a government-in-waiting, value and celebrate the EU Day, and not their own country’s national events like Independence and Heroes Days.

The opposition clearly does not understand that it was because of the selfless sacrifices of thousands of Zimbabwean patriots that even those in the EU were compelled to see them as real human beings not sub-human creatures.

It was because of the independence and democracy that came after copious amounts of blood were spilled that opposition leaders are able to pursue politics at variance with the ideals of the liberation struggle, without recriminations except where they willfully break the law.

The MDC faction leaders’ predilection to put Western interests ahead of Zimbabwe’s own national interests accounts for their Uncle Tom image.

Since MDC was launched eight years ago, Tsvangirai and most of his cohorts have never joined the nation in celebrating any of its national days.

Only the late Learnmore Judah Jongwe and the self-exiled Tafadzwa Musekiwa made an appearance at the National Sports Stadium in 2001, yet MDC leaders seldom miss the national days hosted by Western missions accredited to Zimbabwe, with the Queen’s birthday, a definite must on their calendar.

But it is not difficult to see why Tsvangirai and his gang behave in that manner, and where they are coming from. Their politics were well captured by President Mugabe in his book, Inside the Third Chimurenga where he said, among other things.

"The MDC should never be judged or characterised by its black trade union face; by its youthful student face; by its salaried black suburban junior professionals; never by its rough and violent high-density lumpen elements. It is much deeper than these human superficies; for it is immovably and implacably moored in the colonial yesteryear and embraces wittingly or unwittingly the repulsive ideology of return to white settler rule. The MDC is as old and as strong as the forces that control it; that converges on it and control it, that drive and direct, indeed that support, sponsor and spot it. It is a counter-revolutionary Trojan horse contrived and nurtured by the very inimical forces that enslaved and oppressed our people yesterday."

Tsvangirai is still to prove that President Mugabe got it all wrong in this characterisation that he is not his own man. The Westerners have not made it a secret that they not only played a big role in the formation of the MDC, but that they actually bankroll its activities.

British prime minister, Tony Blair confirmed to the whole world on June 14 2004 that he works closely with the MDC in his quest to effect illegal regime change in Zimbabwe. While the US State Department’s latest report, Supporting Human Rights and Democracy: The US record — 2006 confirmed that Washington is bankrolling opposition efforts to unseat the Government.

These are chilling revelations that should make any progressive African treat Tsvangirai and his troupe like lepers because rightwing western governments have never been recorded anywhere in history working for the advancement of the African.

It is indeed unforgivable that where Western interests are concerned, there is no difference between outgoing British premier, Tony Blair and Tsvangirai or Mutambara; who are both working to protect the interests of the British kith and kin in Zimbabwe.

At his party’s inception, Tsvangirai did not make his contempt for the land reform programme a secret, and his secretary for education Fidelis Mhashu told the BBC’s HardTalk programme that MDC would return all land to white farmers should it assume power.

Mhashu’s sentiments are in line with the preamble of the US sanctions law, the Zimbabwe Democracy and Economic Recovery Act, whose text clearly says, sanctions against Zimbabwe can only be repealed once land tenure is returned to pre-2000 levels.

That Western sanctions were imposed in an attempt to torpedo the land reform programme is not a secret, and that the MDC’s actions give Westerners the excuse to maintain the ruinous measures is given.

Tsvangirai’s intimate relationship with his Western overlords explains why he can’t find it in himself to join Africa’s call for the lifting of the illegal Western sanctions that are wrecking havoc even among MDC supporters.

This is because his interests are essentially British; he can not find it within himself to urge Britain to honour its obligations to fund land reforms in Zimbabwe.

If Tsvangirai really had the interests of Zimbabwe at heart, he would have realised that the West is using him, and would have taken advantage of the EU Day to send a message to his principals to lift the illegal economic sanctions they imposed.

If the MDC renounces the sanctions, the West will not have an excuse to claim that they are working for, and have the support of "oppressed Zimbabweans."

The fact that opposition leaders still refuse to do so despite the recommendations of Comesa and Sadc shows that they are working with the west against their own country.

Ironically MDC leaders’ presence at the EU Day should have shown them that Europeans, even when they are far away from home do not forget who they are; and that Europe is united in whatever it does for as the bloc says on its website;

"May 9 is a European symbol (Europe Day) which, along with the flag, the anthem, the motto and the single currency (the euro), identifies the political entity of the European Union. Europe Day is the occasion for activities and festivities that bring Europe closer to its citizens and peoples of the Union closer to one another."

Why can’t the MDC leaders participate in activities that bring the people of Zimbabwe closer together?

Their actions show that the defence and security chiefs were not amiss when they said the top job in Zimbabwe is a straitjacket which fits only those who defend the values of the revolution.

If Tsvangirai and Mutambara have no respect for the reminders of that revolution, Independence and Heroes Days, can the straitjacket fit them?

Labels: MDC, MORGAN TSVANGIRAI, NEOLIBERALISM, ZIMBABWE

posted by MrK @ 7:49 PM