Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai on Sunday told his supporters that he almost walked out of the unity government a fortnight ago.
Tsvangirai, who joined the coalition in 2009 believing that he had the same executive powers with President Robert Mugabe, is clearly a frustrated man.
He can be barred from holding campaign rallies by a police commander as it happened in Matabeleland North province recently.
In Chitungwiza, a fortnight ago he was also forced to cancel a rally that was approved by the police because Zanu PF supporters would not allow his MDC-T to use Chibuku Stadium.
He is lampooned daily in newspapers owned by a government where he is supposed to be a principal alongside President Robert Mugabe and Deputy Prime Minister Arthur Mutambara.
Tsvangirai says he told President Mugabe he wanted to quit after the Chitungwiza violence. Therefore, one would sympathise with the PM when he says he is considering throwing in the towel.
But it was a considered view that this unity government was never going to be a stroll in the park for the newcomers.
Zanu PF has been in power since 1980 and, as they say, power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely.
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In other words, the system that Zanu PF built and perfected over the years cannot be dismantled in one day.
It is a system that has little regard for civil liberties and strongly believes that some people are ordained to rule forever because they played a leading role in the liberation struggle.
The only way this system can be rehabilitated in the interest of Zimbabwe’s future generations is to institute reforms proposed in the Global Political Agreement.
Of utmost importance in that reform agenda, is a new constitution for Zimbabwe and the creation of an environment conducive for free and fair elections.
It is for this reason alone that we believe Tsvangirai’s constant threats to quit the coalition government are not strategic.
The PM is clearly playing into the hands of those forces that do not want to see Zimbabwe getting out of this political logjam.
If MDC-T pulls out of the unity government, Zimbabwe will certainly go to elections under the same conditions that prevailed in 2008.
The country will also certainly miss the opportunity to replace the Lancaster House charter that has been amended 19 times.
Tsvangirai must just stay the course and ensure that he is not robbed of another election victory as he believes was the case in 2008.
The stage where Zimbabwe is politically has no room for the faint-hearted.
