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(TALKZIMBABWE) Tsvangirai: Inspector Clouseau of the MDC-T party

Tsvangirai: Inspector Clouseau of the MDC-T party
By: Alfred Munangatire
Posted: Wednesday, November 3, 2010 3:30 am

SOMETIMES a local issue perfectly illuminates a larger national problem. The recent outlandish statement by Mr Morgan Tsvangirai at Cyril Jennings Hall that he would abandon the new Constitution his party campaigned for might have just caused consternation, dismay and outright disgust among elements in his party.

Mr Tsvangirai’s record of vacillation presents the MDC-T leadership and support base with a strange paradox: that the party cannot move beyond this one man show, but that it desperately needs to get rid of that same man if it is to maintain its relevance in Zimbabwe.

Simply put, the political tantrums of Mr Tsvangirai are dragging the party down. He had become the Inspector Clouseau of the MDC-T party; and everyone in that party is racing to the bottom with him.

While he is purported as the "undisputed leader of the MDC" his leadership has been marked with chaos and confusion that he himself largely causes. His clumsy attempts at appearing prime ministerial and sophisticated frequently leads to misfortune for himself and others. The position of prime minister is a lofty enterprise for him.

Like the fictional Inspector Clouseau -- the French police detective in Blake Edwards's 'The Pink Panther' -- Mr Tsvangirai's confusion on key issues has created long-term paralysis for the MDC-T and the party has missed an opportunity to be a viable option in Zimbabwean politics.

What makes the whole MDC-T theatrics ridiculous is that there is a bunch of politicians and media elements who will support him to the hilt; and are willing to sacrifice their dignity and intellect by following him.

I could not imagine that there was a bunch of people who really believed that Mr Tsvangirai could nullify diplomatic re-assignments made by President Mugabe. This is the calibre of politicians and media commentators that we have.

The MDC-T, at least in the Diaspora, completely lost credibility when Mr Tsvangirai addressed what he perceived to be party supporters at the Southwark Cathedral in London last year. He misunderstood that Zimbabweans had congregated as a nation at that Cathedral, not unwitting supporters of the MDC-T. The “nation” wanted to hear what the prime minister of their country had to say, not the leader of the MDC-T.

Mr Tsvangirai and his “advisers” in the United Kingdom, had fooled themselves that anyone who attends a rally is a supporter. They had also fooled themselves that the UK, especially London, was full of MDC-T supporters. That’s why they called for the deportation of Zanu-PF supporters and anti-MDC elements from the UK – another no brainer in itself.

The move was as ridiculous as a supporter of Gordon Brown calling for the deportation of all David Cameron supporters from Zimbabwe.

Not only did the prime minister show a lack of understanding of the needs of the people in the Diaspora, he demonstrated a high level of ignorance and arrogance by failing to back down and acknowledge the point Zimbabweans in the United Kingdom were trying to put across.

So they simply resorted to booing, something that he had never experienced anywhere, let alone in the west. Mr Tsvangirai has never returned to the country to see “his supporters”.

Zimbabweans abroad are not used to Mr Tsvangirai’s syndrome or brand of dramatic political campaigns and fruitless, but lofty, election promises.

They are also not used to cheap politicking that Zimbabweans back home have been subjected to by the MDC-T party.

Whatever one feels about the MDC-T, it is a party that is now on the decline. The euphoria that built that party has now died down; and it remains a shadow of its former self.

One wonders whether this party, which built itself on the back of sanctions and tried to present itself as a viable alternative to Zimbabwean politics, can rebuild its poor standing before the next elections. Its botched attempt to outdo Zanu-PF by going into electoral mode quite early in the electoral season might just backfire. There’s only been an indication that there will be elections, but no dates have been set.

In our assessment of the MDC-T party's future, there are legitimate questions to be asked over what it stands for. That’s now its failing to connect with the new governments in Britain and the US. It has always been an unwitting puppet and a proxy for Mr Blair, Mr Brown and Mr Bush. It is now failing to achieve the same puppetry status with Mr Barack Obama and the “twin leaders” of British politics, Mr David Cameron and Mr Nick Clegg.

The MDC-T is so disconnected with its British constituency that it could not even comment when the Coalition Government of Mr Cameron and Mr Clegg indicated that it would resume forced deportations to Zimbabwe.

It was not even represented when Zimbabweans gathered at Lancaster House in London last week to demand the right to remain in the country. They have completely lost credibility and are seeking a new identity in the UK.

The MDC-T’s undeserved reputation as a party of progress is now at risk; after its performance in the inclusive Government ranged from lukewarm to outright embarrassing.

Those people who still support the MDC-T should now do some serious soul searching and self-introspection. They should ask themselves what it is exactly their party stands for and what it is exactly that it aims to achieve in Zimbabwe.

Unfortunately, a lot of people had sold their soul in support of this party; and might not be able to do that “soul searching” very well.

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Alfred Munangatire is a civil engineer based in Bristol, United Kingdom. He can be contacted via alfredmuna *** gmail.com

Labels: MDC, MORGAN TSVANGIRAI

posted by MrK @ 6:09 AM