Although Robert Mugabe continues to be called President, almost all the newspapers, governments, analysts and all others refer to “the former ruling party” when they talk about his ZANU-PF.
Both Mugabe and his party lost elections and Mugabe is in that position because of negotiations, not by popular vote.
This presents Zimbabwe with a confusing scenario. Mugabe as president wields a lot of power but his party is supposedly in opposition.
Mugabe’s position, however, catapults his defeated party to almost a parity, if not higher, than the winning Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) whose leader, Morgan Tsvangirai, was relegated to playing second fiddle to the loser.
Conversely, Tsvangirai’s negotiated second position has also curtailed the winning party’s power to govern or influence things in the nation.
That, combined with the MDC’s lack of foresight, has reduced Tsvangirai and his party to spectators who only react to what “the former ruling party” does and says.
There is no doubt that the MDC has always been overwhelmed by ZANU-PF since day one of the unity government.
We have watched time and time again as Mugabe and his party did whatever they wanted, paying little regard to the presence of the MDC.
We have witnessed many times as Mugabe has arrested MDC parliamentarians and supporters while sitting in cabinet with Tsvangirai.
ZANU-PF continues to behave as if it is alone in this government of national unity and the MDC is so wrapped up in enjoying the titbits that come with being part of government that they do not seem to care about what is happening.
The MDC has clearly discarded its mandate and has completely lost focus.
It’s now been two years and seven months since the government of national unity was formed and the MDC’s attitude is discouraging and tantamount to a sale out.
The MDC’s silence on many crucial issues is of great concern now. Once important, outstanding issues have been conveniently forgotten and yet still remain unresolved.
For example, there is now talk about elections yet the MDC is not doing much to see that the playing field is levelled.
ZANU-PF, the “opposition party” that is in control of the army and the police, is busy deploying army personnel across the country and we all know why.
ZANUPF intends “to control rural voting using their usual violence and intimidation”.
The MDC issues statements after statements and cannot do anything more as ZANU-PF clearly lays out plans to abuse people during those elections.
And this comes at the same time as ZANUPF militia are being deployed and are active countrywide.
A few weeks ago, Minister of State Didymus Mutasa defended the existence of torture camps in Zimbabwe although he called them training centres.
Who, other than the MDC, should have made a thorough investigation of this and demanded the closure of such camps? But the hue and cry came from outside our borders; little from the MDC.
ZANU-PF continues to abuse and undermine the rule of law and oppresses the MDC but the MDC does not cry out in meaningful protest.
They can’t cry out louder; they have their mouths full.
They won’t cry out even when their own ministers are falsely accused and arrested. The MDC offers muted protest; they are now part of the machinery; they are sitting at the high table.
Apart from the human rights abuses emanating from the Chiadzwa Diamonds fields, ZANU-PF controls the mine fields and there does not appear to be any audits or controls in place.
If the MDC is in power, as we are told, why do they let all these things happen?
If they are not in power, what are they doing in the Government of national Unity (GNU)?
How much is the MDC doing about the abuse of rural people who, in the last elections also indicated that they would rather try Tsvangirai and the MDC than continue with Mugabe and ZANU-PF?
Can the MDC protect anyone when it fails to protect itself?
Whatever happened to the issue concerning the 75 000 ghost workers who had to be removed from the civil service payroll?
I do not recall the MDC proclaiming victory over this. What did they do about it?
Did they fail to deal with the issue just as much as they failed to deal with Roy Bennett’s swearing in?
Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe governor Gideon Gono and attorney general Johannes Tomana, once hot topics in MDC circles, are still in place. Did the MDC reach some sort of understanding with ZANU-PF? How did the issue die?
And how many governors of the ruling MDC party have been sworn in? None.
And we now hear nothing about it from the MDC.
The MDC has not shown any real desire to fight the repressive laws like the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act and the Public Order and Security Act. These laws are continuously being used against the people and the MDC yet the MDC’s protests are now muffled and limited to press releases.
To all intents and purposes, ZANUPF are the government of Zimbabwe.
Last week I was surprised to read that “ZANU-PF and the two MDC formations had unanimously agreed to expel the Libyan ambassador because he had accepted the National Transitional Council in Libya”.
Did the MDC do so, really?
The heart of the matter is that Tsvangirai and his MDC remain effectively “the opposition”.
They are powerless and appear to have no strategy to deal with issues directed at them. They might be part of the GNU but they have absolutely no input and cannot effect any change.
Either that or they have sold us out. Surely, they can’t sleep on the job that long?
The MDC failed to rescue the private media from ZANU-PF clutches and the MDC itself continues to be abused by the state-owned media.
I am desperately looking for something, any success to pin on the lapels of the MDC but am having a hard time finding any.
I do not understanding why the MDC has stayed in this government of national unity when they have done next to nothing and when they have failed to make any changes.
Now that there is talk about elections, whatever happened to the fight for Diasporians having a vote? How does the MDC hope to get the voters’ roll updated and cleaned up? By issuing a press statement?
The MDC has stared at these issues for a long time. No solution.
The MDC cannot blame anyone for the mess they are in.
The people of Zimbabwe and, indeed, the international community have given the MDC time, support and even resources to fight for its ideals.
What a wasted effort.
Do the MDC sit down and take stork? How do they address or answer these questions? Do they care anymore or they are happy that they got a little something while the people who supported them continue to suffer?
What really are they doing in this unity government?
I would be most grateful were the MDC to issue a bulletin listing their greatest hits; their greatest achievements since they joined the GNU.
I have a list of their failures and I am asking for just a few of their greatest hits.
The MDC must also remember that silence is not golden.
