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(TALKZIMBABWE) Tsvangirai, EU eyeing Zimbabwe presidency

Tsvangirai, EU eyeing Zimbabwe presidency
Philip Murombedzi
Mon, 17 Nov 2008 10:54:00 +0000

I READ with much amusement the words of the MDC leader, Morgan Tsvangirai over the weekend, supported by AFP and the European Union.

Only a naïve reader would believe the shenanigans of Tsvangirai who can now do just about anything he wants with that party and still retain the support of that party. He can fool just about every MDC-T supporter into believing that he is concerned about their plight and is fighting for the “liberation of Zimbabweans”.

He only has to make a statement here and there to spur them on, but retain control of the grand scheme of things. No one in the MDC-T party knows exactly what is going on with Tsvangirai, McGee, Britain, the EU and the US. These are the players in the MDC-T party.

Tsvangirai might have, at one point cared about the people of Zimbabwe and the party, but that is long gone now. He now only cares about himself and his family tucked away in South Africa (where the mortgage on his house is fully paid apparently) and Australia where his daughters are studying on a scholarship.

The naïve MDC-T followers have given him the “messianic” status and nothing he does can ever be considered bad for the party anymore. He has shifted positions more times than a chameleon changes colours, and the party’s “faithful followers” also change in accordance with their “messiah”. Even a work colleague I once worked with, Prof. Mukonoweshuro, has been sucked up in the circus. See how they call him "President".

AFP over the weekend reported: “Zimbabwe opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai warned Sunday that President Robert Mugabe would cause the collapse of a power-sharing agreement if he imposes a unity government.”

Tsvangirai said this in Strasbourg, northern France, during what the AFP dubbed “a rare visit to Europe”. Rare indeed! Apparently he was consulting “African leaders” according to his party’s many spokespersons, who also seem to not know what this man is up to anymore.

For the first time, we heard Nelson Chamisa saying he does not speak about the MDC leader, but about the party and referred questions about his whereabouts to the now very elusive George Sibotshiwe - "kunakurirana nyoka mhenyu".

Since when did Chamisa not speak for Tsvangirai? He has always defended the MDC-T leader at every opportunity. Referring questions to someone unreachable was almost indicative of the quandary the party finds itself in. In any case, when did the party become separated from the person (Morgan Tsvangirai)? The MDC is Morgan, and Morgan is the MDC!

Interesting that Tsvangirai says that President Mugabe would collapse the deal by announcing a Cabinet, but at the same time also says: “We are not walking away from the deal, we support the deal. We continue to defend the deal. But it must be a deal that reflects equitable power sharing.”

What does Tsvangirai mean when he says negotiations on the power-sharing government with Mugabe must not be allowed to run on indefinitely? "It can't be forever," Tsvangirai said. "We cannot go on and on and on."

Tsvangirai should realise that the mixed messages and the ironies in his statements are only believed by naïve supporters from his party. He's spoiling for a bigger fight. We know that. We've always known that.

Morgan, it is clear, is aiming for one thing, and one thing only -- the Presidency. He can fool anyone else anywhere, but he certainly can’t fool me or those who do not care to read history backwards. I will not be sucked into the recycling of ignorance going on in opposition circles about Tsvangirai's motives.

"If we miss the opportunity, then the tragedy for the country is even too desperate to contemplate," he says, but misses the opportunity to meet his own party to chart the way forward and opts for an EU trip. Leadership indeed!

Tsvangirai uses words that make him remain "connected and relevant" to the people of Zimbabwe and naïve, blind supporters, but at the same time doing the opposite. This has been his game for a long time and will remain so until he “becomes President”.

Playing to the gallery has always been Tsvangirai’s game. What on earth is he doing in France, never mind the issue of the passport? There are ways round that.

Shouldn’t he be at the African Union since his party vowed that was the next “logical step”?

A statement by the EU Development Commissioner Louis Michel was interesting. The Zimbabwean people were not mentioned – only Tsvangirai was mentioned.

The Commissioner underscored that the opposition leader retained the European Union's backing for his quest to become prime minister. Note: it was EU’s support for Tsvangirai, not the party, not the people of Zimbabwe, not the power-sharing deal.

Specifically Michel said:” I assured Mr Tsvangirai of our support. Under the current circumstances, he doesn't seem able to assume his responsibilities (as premier), he wants the means provided by this responsibility, and we support him in this," he said.

How about a statement on the deal instead, or on Zimbabwe as a country?

"The strongest pressure that the EU can apply" to help him "is to announce a very strong (aid) commitment if a government is soon formed," Michel said.

An AFP reported also said: “The European Commission provided Zimbabwe with around 90 million euros (114 million dollars) in humanitarian aid in 2007, but all development aid to Mugabe's regime has been frozen.”

I didn't know the EU gave "development aid to Mugabe's regime".

That report also forgot to mention how much of that support has been slashed off by sanctions and negative publicity created by the EU.

The AFP report forgot to mention that the EU has stopped critical companies trading with Zimbabwe and mobilised aid agencies to move out and/or scale down operations.

The AFP report also forgot to mention that the current cash crisis in the country is partly as a result of pressure put on a German company to stop supplying money printing paper to Zimbabwe.

The hot and cold will soon end. Nothing lasts forever. We hope by the time the dust settles the MDC-T leader will have become the “President of Zimbabwe”.

Mugabe will not last forever. He has said this before. He is not immortal, but will Morgan become President even after Mugabe is gone?

philipmurombedzi@yahoo.com

Labels: EU, MORGAN TSVANGIRAI

posted by MrK @ 9:06 AM