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(TALKZIMBABWE) Tsvangirai’s MDC-T broke, losing key allies

Tsvangirai’s MDC-T broke, losing key allies
This article was written by Our reporter on 20 May, at 22 : 30 PM

PRIME Minister Morgan Tsvangirai’s party is quickly losing allies and is facing -serious financial problems that are threatening its public outreach policy and development of the party. The Movement for Democratic Change party (MDC-T) has previously enjoyed the backing of western states and western funders, but since the 2008-9 ‘great recession’ the party has seen its finances depleted.

Western states can no longer afford to fund political groups like the MDC-T. The New Labour party of Tony Blair (and Gordon Brown) and the Republican party of George W Bush, who were traditional funders of the MDC-T are now out of power.

The new governments in the west have taken a more cautious and different approach to the problems in Zimbabwe than their predecessors, preferring to use diplomatic machinery to engage the Zimbabwean government, than fund the MDC-T to effect regime change.

Groups within the country that have also traditionally funded the party are also getting weary of fighting a losing battle. The Commercial Farmers’ Union (CFU), for example, previously supported the MDC-T in the hope that the party would reverse the fast-track land reform programme which left many white commercial farmers with no livelihoods.

The CFU, with more than 3,500 members out of their prime properties, expected the Prime Minister’s party to fight in their corner following the formation of the inclusive Government in 2009.

No dispossessed commercial farmer has managed to get back the farms four years later.

Charles Taffs, the CFU president, last week said: “What is the MDC’s policy on indigenisation, mining and land? It concerns us that all that they want to do and will hinge their election campaign (on) is to remove President Mugabe and Zanu-PF from power. ”That’s what they have been trying to do in the past decade.”

He added: “At least Zanu-PF programmes are clear-cut and well-known. It’s about time the election became a contestation of ideas”, he added.

Asked to give his views on the performance of the inclusive Government, Taffs said: “It has brought some stability, but the indigenisation programme has now put fear in every other sector.”

Tony Hawkins, an economics professor at the University of Zimbabwe, was quoted by the Financial Gazette saying the MDC-T has become weak and “is pretty much out of its depth”.

“The officials that PM Tsvangirai surrounds himself with really do not offer much. Besides Elton Mangoma (Energy and Power Development Minister) who is an accountant by profession and Tendai Biti (Finance Minister), a lawyer, who else do they really have?”

Trevor Maisiri, a political analyst, said: “Fatigue has set in from its supporters and allies as a result the MDC -T has fell short of expectations.”

Prime Minister Tsvangirai has also been beset with personal problems that have lost him the support of the women’s vote. His treatment of women, Lorcadia Tembo in particular, whom he dumped after only six days of marriage, is said to have cost him support of a vital voter constituency.

Labels: MDC, MORGAN TSVANGIRAI, TONY HAWKINS

posted by MrK @ 6:05 PM