Maravi

(HERALD) MDC never learns

MDC never learns
By Mabasa Sasa

THE logic behind the adage "you cannot teach an old dog new tricks" is that a puppy has greater chances of adapting to new stimuli and responding accordingly to novel instruction and expectation. In the lifespan of a serious political party, eight years represents the nascent stages of an institution’s development and as such there are usually great expectations that growing pains will be used as a platform to build a lasting organisation that can adapt to the changing times. However, that has not been the case with the MDC.

Nearly a decade after entering the political arena, Zimbabweans are coming to the inevitable conclusion that this young dog called the MDC is too obtuse to learn any new tricks and indeed how to make itself relevant to Zimbabwe’s politics and economics.

It is with this in mind that some observers have predicted that nothing new will come out of the election manifestos of the two feuding factions of the opposition as polling day draws nigh.

This is hardly surprising as eight years on, Morgan Tsvangirai has failed to come up with any convincing policy positions as to how he will direct the affairs of this country, in the unfortunate event he assumes power.

While Arthur Mutambara has only been around for a little while, Zimbabweans are yet to see any indications that anything meaningful will emerge from his ranks.

In fact, to date, the only solid thing that has come from the opposition ranks on how the issue of governance will be approached was Fidelis Mhashu’s shocking statement on BBC’s HARDtalk that his party would return all land to white commercial farmers.

Nothing concrete has ever been said about economic turnaround except for mentioning some time ago, a five or six point plan that observers said was broad on polemic but shallow on substance.

Indeed, it appears an MDC government would hinge all future economic planning on aid and advice from the same countries that have imposed illegal sanctions on Zimbabwe and would like to see this economy and the people scream.

What this will mean is Zimbabwe’s economy would be run from Western capitals for the good of Western economies while the gains of indigenisation will be systematically eroded.

Perhaps what those in the MDC do not realise is that their over-reliance on the John Howards of this world strips them of any authority and denudes them of political and economic control should they ever win an election.

Effectively, they will only have the trappings of power while the real politics of this entire nation would be being directed from Australia, the United States, the EU and god knows where else.

From this, Zimbabwe can get a glimpse of what kind of foreign policy the MDC will pursue if ever it is given the chance to preside over the affairs of this country.

Our historical allies, like President Thabo Mbeki, will be condemned, as "dishonest brokers" while Australia will be the good neighbour.

Sadc would be a pariah — meaning Zimbabwe will be an island of regression in a sea of Pan African progress — while the EU will be the political god.

It then comes as no surprise that Sadc supports the Government of Zimbabwe.

Apart from economic and political matters, the MDC’s social policies are also short on value. The opposition only says it will improve healthcare and other social support services but no mildly convincing blueprints have ever been presented to validate such claims.

This invariably draws one to the conclusion that the MDC really has nothing to offer and seeks power as an end in itself rather than as a means with which to develop this country.

It seems nothing has been learnt in the eight years the Tsvangirai has been dreaming of State House.

Election campaigns are still run outside Zimbabwe’s borders to a non-voting public while the electorate watches bemusedly from rural Zimbabwe, where the real power lies.

While Tsvangirai falls over himself congratulating Howard for a job well done by imposing sanctions against ordinary Zimbabweans the voter is ploughing his/her field with a tractor accessed through the first phase of the agriculture mechanisation programme.

While the Tsvangirai faction spokesman Nelson Chamisa tries to charm London, the electorate is engaged in discourse with the Government (and hence the ruling party) on how the price blitz should proceed to ensure bellies are full enough to carry them to voting booths when the time comes.

Such is the political naivete not expected of a party expecting to preside over a country like Zimbabwe that is at the centre of the Developing World’s fight for economic independence from the West.

And like the proverbial dog going back to its vomit, Zimbabwe was recently treated to the nauseating spectacle of an MDC official declaring that his faction would unleash war if next year’s elections are rigged, as if any election has ever been rigged in Zimbabwe.

The other week Zimbabweans woke up to some childish ranting by one Thamsanqa Mahlangu, Tsvangirai’s youth chairman, who gushed: "If (President) Mugabe doesn’t deliver a free and fair election next year, haaitonge nyika yacho (the country will become ungovernable)."

Sinister echoes of: "What we would like to tell (President) Mugabe is please go peacefully. If you don’t want to go peacefully, we will remove you violently."

In opposition parlance, a rigged election is one in which the incumbent retains the confidence of the majority and with all pointers indicating a ruling party victory, the declaration is nothing more than an attempt to intimidate the electorate.

Anyone would be forgiven for being ambivalent about the intentions of a political party that aspires to Constitutional power without having a clear position on electoral processes.

The MDC is a party that decides on the eve of elections whether or not it will participate and this raises questions about their commitment to the people.

At present, the opposition has sent out thinly veiled threats (first the threats of violence and now this) that if they believe the playing field is not even then they will not participate next year.

The impression that arises is that the opposition is only prepared to follow democratic Constitutional processes when it is guaranteed of getting its own way.

So in future, what will stop the MDC — assuming it attains power — from scrapping an election because it feels it will not win?

When it has State institutions and the accompanying artillery on its side, what will stop Tsvangirai and friends from even banning the ballot until they are assured of electoral victory?

All evidence indicates the opposition believes elections are supposed to be tailored to ensure the success of the MDC and even on Mars such an attitude can never be seen as constitutionally democratic.

And Nelson Chamisa — fittingly wearing a cowboy hat, we are told — interestingly played on this allegory at a recent rally where he reportedly said: "Vaimboti MDC ndeyezvipopi. Asi zvipopi zviya zvava kuruma manje (They are always saying the MDC are puppies but these puppies can now bite)."

But puppies all the same, Chamisa.

Labels: LAND REFORM, MDC, THE HERALD, ZIMBABWE

posted by MrK @ 6:34 AM