(TALKZIMBABWE) MDC-T confusing power sharing with power transfer

MDC-T confusing power sharing with power transfer
Dambudzo Mapuranga - Opinion
Wed, 25 Nov 2009 13:34:00 +0000

“WE are in government to grab power” was what one MDC-T functionary said at a rally soon after the party entered into the power sharing agreement with Zanu PF and MDC-M.

While many took it as the usual ranting of youth and opposition political jargon which would soon be dropped as reality of the job ahead sank in, it is becoming quiet clear that the MDC-T has no intention of working together with its other partners in government for the betterment of Zimbabwe, but intends to use its foothold in government as a way to completely take over controls of the country.

Depending on whom you listen to, what you read and whom you talk to the goings on in Zimbabwe’s political arena are told very differently.

In fact one can go on to say that news about who is doing what in Zimbabwe’s government has become so important that the MDC-T is constantly sending delegation after delegation to update this Head of State and that Head of State across the globe. One really wonders when some of these delegates who are government Ministers find time to discharge their ministerial duties.

The polarization of free media in Zimbabwe has made it very easy for the MDC-T to disseminate half-truths, lies and as little fact as possible to Zimbabweans. The elimination of duty on foreign newspapers by Minister of Finance Tendai Biti who is discharging his ministerial duty in accordance to his party post of MDC-T Secretary General has created a new loophole for his party and its western support groups to further the regime change agenda in Zimbabwe under the guise of free press.

The US is the financier of this “free press in Zimbabwe” project as it has inject US$3 million towards establishment and support of free media in Zimbabwe through Freedom House.

The unfortunate thing about this whole situation is that the MDC-T is headed in the same direction Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Odinga first took when he entered into government.

Instead of focusing on reconstruction and national healing, PM Odinga and his supporters thought they would push Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki as far back into the corner as they could in terms of concessions as a means of taking over all facets of government in Kenya.

Worst still at that same time PM Odinga and his supporters tried to carry out boardroom coups in many of the corporations operating in Kenya. There was a tidal wave of Lous demanding positions left right and center based on tribal grounds and not on merit and rank.

Some of these corporations scaled down operations in reaction to this while others were forced to pull out their locally qualified management teams replacing them with foreign executives.

Prime Minister Odinga and his functionaries in government carried on as opposition leaders at rallies instead of government officials who are expected to conduct themselves in a more dignified manner. By allowing party interests to supercede state interests PM Odinga and his party Ministers were caught numerous times hawking personal opinions as those of the Kenyan Government.

On one occasion Kenyan Foreign Affairs Minister was forced to humble the Prime Minister and issue a statement distancing the Kenya Government and its people from comments made by Prime Minister Odinga.

The MDC-T is speeding down the road that leads to more problems than solutions. From the top down the party leadership many of who are in Government have failed to shed their party hats and become the servants of the 13 plus million people who call themselves Zimbabweans.

They have proceeded in carrying out their duties in government based on their party interests and not on the interests of Zimbabwe as a whole.

While the MDC-T through its now hoard of free newspapers being distributed across the country attempts to create a new perception on its role in government it has failed to deliver. Instead it should put its mouth were its money is, getting a sweet deal at the printers for all these newspapers that “seek to report progress of the inclusive government” does not translate into food on people tables, neither does it bring any meaningful discourse but continues to divide Zimbabweans and sow seeds of discord.

Since is inception the MDC-T has made noise about absurd issue after absurd issue. Cheap politicking in order to score points with financiers and sponsors at a time when Zimbabweans from all walks of life are pinning their hopes on the inclusive Government has not only exposed the MDC-T leadership for the mediocre they are but has seen the patience of some of its sympathizers in the region wane.

The MDC-T has complained about one thing after another, claiming that its partner in the GPA, Zanu PF has not met any of its obligations and yet it is in fact the MDC-T which is yet to show any sincerity in the Inclusive Government.

When Prime Minister Tsvangirai was asked to move into Zimbabwe House after his swearing in, he turned down the offer wanting to score points with his supporters insisting that his Strathaven residence was adequate.

A short while ago the independent media began vilifying President Mugabe claiming that he had denied Prime Minister Tsvangirai access to Zimbabwe House.

Now and again the public is informed that Zanu PF “hardliners” are frustrating efforts by the MDC-T to bring meaningful change to Zimbabwe. Of course it has now come out in the open that when the MDC-T is talking about meaningful change they mean the smuggling in of individuals into government through the backdoor, many of whom have close ties to the same Western countries that have been trying to destabilize Zimbabwe for the past ten years.

The truth of the matter is that it is MDC-T that has packed our government with hardliners bent on crashing and burning this country.

At a rally in Tafara, Harare in June two prominent MDC-T ministers unashamedly informed attendants that not only did they not recognize President Mugabe’s authority, but did not have any respect for the inclusive Government and the GPA that brought it about.

Of course these two Ministers had no problem sharing the high table with a police inspector from ZRP Mabvuku who was in full uniform chanting MDC-T slogans, however they having been among the loudest to call for the removal of Attorney General Tomana citing that he is a Zanu PF supporter and as such should not serve in government.

One would think what is good for the gander should be good for the goose, but then as usual when it comes to the MDC-T the shoe cannot be allowed to fit on anyone’s foot except theirs.

The continued denial of the imposition of sanctions by the MDC-T has weakened their credibility. While the imposers of the sanctions have publicly indicated that they will not be lifting SANCTIONS imposed on Zimbabwe, the MDC-T continues to deny their existence.

Its like the husband of a very pregnant woman profusely denying his wife is pregnant while the entire village can see that the woman can go into labor at anytime.

While the cleverer in the MDC-T have coined the term “restrictive measurers” the fact still remains the MDC-T lobbied really hard for the West to impose sanctions on the people of Zimbabwe as a way “to make the economy scream and separate the people of Zimbabwe from Zanu PF”.

Continued denial on the part of the MDC-T on their role in Zimbabwe’s economic meltdown while shouting to all and sundry accusing Zanu PF of this and that is a great obstacle to National Healing.

Instead of standing on the fence the MDC-T should come out in the open and say exactly where they stand. This back and forth nonsense is getting tedious not to mention a major contributor to headaches not only to their GPA partners but also to the people of Zimbabwe a portion of which the MDC-T claims to represent.

It has become apparent that while the MDC-T can talk the talk, they have failed to walk that talk and instead continue to pull silly stunts to attract attention. Playground behavior and mentality is best left in playgrounds.

Many a political party has been thrown into the political dustbin by its followers because people can only stand such antics for a limited time before moving on to the next best thing. The Simba Makoni Effect should have been a wake up call to the MDC-T and yet it keeps on repeating yesteryear’s mistakes.