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NewsDay

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MDC-T sitting on razor’s edge

Columnists
Frankly speaking, I did not see the wisdom of the main opposition MDC-T’s boycott of last month’s by-elections. Likewise, United States Congressman Gregory Simpkins, who was in Zimbabwe on a working visit this week, saw the political folly of it all.

Frankly speaking, I did not see the wisdom of the main opposition MDC-T’s boycott of last month’s by-elections. Likewise, United States Congressman Gregory Simpkins, who was in Zimbabwe on a working visit this week, saw the political folly of it all.

Yes, the MDC-T proved a point that they still command much support as urban voters overwhelmingly heeded their call not to vote, but at what cost?

The other MDCs had every reason to chicken out, because, rigging or not, they were certain to come out empty-handed. They don’t have the numbers on the ground and have not been working on that. Instead, they have been at each other’s throats.

The MDC Renewal Team, having taken the drastic step of breaking away from the MDC-T, did not have the self-belief to go on and contest those seats they had been recalled from. They cried foul when they were recalled on the grounds that they were elected in their individual capacity, not on behalf of the MDC-T, but when they were given the chance to prove this with the voters in the by-elections, they did not take it up. All that can be said of them is that they are losers through and through. By not contesting, they are equally guilty of donating what they had.

The Welshman Ncube-led MDC has not fared any much better. There has been more of dismissals and resignations than anything else within the party. The bare irony of it is that the proposed merger with the MDC-T Renewal Team to form the UMDC has further split the party. How can you build unity on disunity? As one can see, their problems don’t only stem from the unlevel political playing field — which they gave as the reason for boycotting the by-elections — but also internally. Even if the MDC had contested the by-elections, they would have entered the race with that severe handicap. They should start by looking no further than themselves.

As for Dumiso Dabengwa, his claim to be the original Zapu was finally proved to be baseless and mythical. The assumption was that he would tap into the support base of the MDC-T and win all those Bulawayo Urban seats that the MDC-T had swept in 2013. But his candidates lost dismally. This drastically reduced his political clout — that is, if he still had any in the first place. A politician’s success is directly tied to his ability to understand and influence the issues of his constituents. Well, going by the by-election results, Dabengwa is far removed from his purported constituency. At least he now knows where he stands with the electorate. And now the MDC-T, how could they throw away the cards they had held for so long and to significant effect? And also when Zanu PF is in such disarray? The MDC-T had most to gain, but — in their wisdom or lack of it — chose to give it all away. Rigging or no rigging, they were still going to retain those seats like they had in the past three or so general elections.

In fact, they could have regained seats lost in 2013. And have even made a net gain at the expense of Zanu PF. How? Because the ruling party is torn right down the middle and the purged “Gamatox” faction led by ousted former Vice-President Joice Mujuru was going to hit back by either not voting or voting for the MDC-T to spite their tormentors, “Weevils”. Circumstances have vastly changed since the MDC-T congress’s boycott resolution last October. In response to the changed political landscape, they should have revisited, revised and even rescinded that resolution. But no —- they have stuck to it like a leech.

As if that is not bad enough, I could not believe my eyes when I read a news item soon after the by-elections with the headline MDC-T demands $10 from top officials. This from a party that has willingly and unwisely — or, more bluntly, misguidedly and foolishly — cut its own funding base by boycotting by-elections?

Now, the MDC-T are hounding members for funds when they could have easily solved their financial crisis to a large extent from an increased allocation from the Political Parties Finance Act where funding is calculated on the number of seats in Parliament. This needlessly self-destructive. Talk of cutting off the nose to spite the face!

Simpkins provided an object lesson in practical politics. He said: “Oftentimes we have heard the opposition saying it is tough to compete, (but) they have to find a way of being effective rather than just saying it is too tough to compete so we are not going to take part . . . If you are not a part of it at all, then it is as good as there is no opposition.”

Quite! Quite! Parliament provided a perfect forum for them to articulate without the recrimination and victimisation that individual activists and demonstrators are subjected to. Itai Dzamara, who has been missing since his abduction by suspected State security agents in March, comes to mind. Parliament gives the opposition an opportunity to lead from the front with all the protection of the law unlike on the streets where all opposition-led demonstrations are routinely banned or, if allowed, thwarted.

This week MDC-T secretary-general Douglas Mwonzora, hinting at mass action, said: “We are going to pull Zanu PF kicking and screaming to implementation of reforms

. . . The programme that is going to be unleashed is going to force this government to act in a responsible manner.”

Well and good if — not when — they pull it off. In 2003, the MDC-T’s much-hyped “Final Push” proved to be a monumental and spectacular failure. And they should by now be knowing that President Robert Mugabe goes to the brink, but then suddenly pulls out a surprise. What if Mugabe calls a snap general election now to capitalise on the unique opportunity presented by the MDC-T boycott? Will the MDC-T stand fast on the “strength” of their congress resolution?

The MDC-T is sitting on the precarious razor’s edge between success and failure — and no one has put them there, but themselves, through lack of a coherent strategy.

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