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(ZIMBABWE GUARDIAN) MDC and its funders making a mockery of themselves

MDC and its funders making a mockery of themselves
By: Tendai Midzi
Posted: Thursday, April 8, 2010 5:13 pm

THE Movement for Democratic party, a party on the way out, and its accompanying media outlets have been at the forefront of re-writing the history of Zimbabwe and misinforming the world at large about what exactly happened, and is happening, in the country.

I remember there was a time when it was almost taboo to criticise the MDC. After the weakness of the leadership of that party, and its directionless mantra have been exposed, it is now almost taboo to support that party.

Those who have blindly followed the MDC thinking that it could transform the fortunes of the country are now hiding in shame, as the weak leaders of that party get exposed daily.

Even the West seems to have "left the MDC alone". They simply do not believe anything that those people say; and they do not believe they have the power or the tenacity to bring change to Zimbabwe.

Infact, they do not know what change the MDC wishes to bring to Zimbabwe. Change is inevitable and is already happening in Zimbabwe.

That "movement for democratic change" is witnessing a slow death process as the so-called democratic change is taking place in the country.

That party has used the recent history of the country to try and win support of the populace. Zimbabwe's history does not start in 1999 when the MDC was formed.

The violence that gripped Zimbabwe prior to the 2008 re-run presidential election is nothing compared to what black people went through under British colonisation and under Ian Smith racist rule.

There's no excuse for the death of 300 people, but compared to 3,000 that died in a week in Kenya's presidential election, the criticism should be proportional. No one talks about 3,400 white farmers who have been killed in South Africa since independence.

In any case, every country goes through dark episodes. If we are going to heal, let us look at history as a whole not pick selected episodes.

Germany and Britain have fought against each other, but they are allies today. Why should it be differenr in Zimbabwe?

Jews and whites live alongside in Germany today. Black Americans live alongside their former enslavers.

The white population in Zimbabwe that is writing daily about election violence in Zimbabwe should first write about over 50,000 black people who were killed by Ian Smith.

They should write about the massacres at Nyadzonia and Chimoio so that people have an understanding of the whole history of the country, not this selective history.

They should tell us why women and children were wantonly killed by the Ian Smith's notorious Selous Scouts.

They should tell people it was the black government that increased the literacy rate to 90 per cent and made Zimbabwe the 'breadbasket of Southern Africa', not Ian Smith.

They should tell people it was Zanu-PF that re-housed millions of blacks who lived impoverished lives in the inner cities and gave respectable jobs to the black people, running water, sanitation and a descent living.

They should tell the world that they did nothing for the farmworker except keep them in a perpetual state of subjugation. They never sent their children to school and paid them paltry wages to ensure generations of cheap labour.

They should also tell the world that it was Zanu-PF that brought democracy in general, and universal suffrage (one-man-one-vote) in particular, to Zimbabwe.

They should tell us how many black lawyers, teachers, graduates, CEOs, managers, etc were there before Smith.

They should tell us how many of their white so-called human rights activists opposed Ian Smith and his racist administration.

Did MDC financier Roy Bennett speak out against Smith and his human rights abuses?

Did Eddie Cross campaign for the welfare of the poverty-stricken black people?

Why are these two men so important now? Why should Bennett lead the agriculture portfolio? We fought for our land. It was never handed back to us without blood-spilling.

Selecting particular periods in history and trying to tarnish the image of a revolutionary party like Zanu-PF is a sign of desperation on the part of the MDC and their funders.

It is an insult to the intelligence of the Zimbabwean people and those who died in the struggle.

We suffered under a racist, evil white system of Ian Smith and no re-writing of Zimbabwe's history will alter that.

The MDC and their backers will never convince the people of Zimbabwe that they are a better alternative. They should engage in some serious introspection and soul searching before they make a mockery of themselves.
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Tendai Midzi is a lecturer in economics at London's Metropolitan University.

Labels: MDC

posted by MrK @ 2:01 AM