(TALKZIMBABWE) Boycott an election, call for an election

Boycott an election, call for an election
Philip Chikono – Opinion
Sun, 07 Sep 2008 23:31:00 +0000

MORGAN TSVANGIRAI’S twisted logic is not only astounding, but shocking. Celebrating the 9th anniversary of the birth of the Movement for Democratic Change he said: “We are saying to him you can call another election under international supervision and let's see who is going to win that race.”

He went on: “President Mbeki is coming, but don't worry about him. He is not the one who is going to sign the agreement. He is going to have to persuade me to shift my position.” And on: “We have time on our side. And we have people behind us.”

The twists and turns of Morgan, as one writer in this publication said last week, has become a liability for the MDC-T and the people of Zimbabwe. Surely Morgan has time on his side because the sanctions do not bite him. But, he should be reminded that time is not on Zimbabwean peoples’ side.

Going by the March 29 election results which are so widely quoted by the MDC-T, the sympathizers and the West, one will almost deduce that the people are on the side of both the MDC and Zanu PF. Hardly any party got the required majority. So what does the MDC-T leader mean when he says: “And we have people behind us”?

All utterances by the MDC-T leader have become devoid of real strategy, agenda and real substance that transforms the lives of people and addresses the needs of the majority of Zimbabweans who are currently under Western-imposed sanctions. Such populist rhetoric has failed to elevate the MDC-T leader to the levels of statesmanship that many of supporters expected he should have reached by now.

How logical is it to call for a fresh election, when you boycotted one? And why should the international scene monitor Zimbabwean elections when Zimbabwe is not invited to monitor their elections? I have never heard the EU monitoring elections in the UK or USA despite the many reports of rigging in those elections. George W. Bush is known to have rigged the election that got him into power. Al Gore had won that election, but no international condemnation or outcry was forthcoming.

Morgan Tsvangirai should realize that people are now getting fed up of this empty rhetoric that has become characteristic of the whole MDC-T leadership. It is now time for real action, not empty words.

Philip Chikono – Opinion