MDC T MUST RESTRATEGISE OR DIE

Movement for Democratic Change – Tsvangirai (MDC T) has been arguably the most popular political party in Zimbabwe in the last decade or so. Many people believe that it is the only opposition party that has managed to challenge ZANU PF strongly with a real national appeal effectively dealing with the one-party state philosophy which President Mugabe had attempted to propagate in the eighties. Eventually MDC T won parliamentary majority in the 2008 harmonized election making it difficult if not impossible for President Mugabe to form a government without the participation and involvement of the MDC T, especially.

Other than that, the MDC T benefited from the anger and disappointment experienced by the electorate with the former ruling ZANU PF party performance or lack of it. There are schools of thought who believe that the MDC T has not been able to demonstrate national development agenda for Zimbabwe other than opposing ZANU PF. So, for the electorate, the main exciting development about the MDC T getting political value was no more than just that they had found a party to challenge and fight a “known bad political animal” in the form of ZANU PF. Other than putting ZANU PF on its toes by exciting the electorate with bravery, the MDC T did not really present to the people of Zimbabwe real national political agenda hinged on any clear development policy. In fact many believe that the former opposition is incapable of drafting an effective policy which can take Zimbabwe forward outside ZANU PF opposition agenda.

Where an attempt has been made to come up with any policy including RESTART, and now JUICE, it has been a reaction to ZANU PF policies. In other words, one may actually argue and say MDC T owes its own existence and purpose to ZANU PF that if for some reason, ZANUPF evaporates from the face of our body politic, MDC T will run into serious political problems of relevance – seeking. This is so, because more often than not, the former opposition party has demonstrated that their political business is either to plan against ZANU PF or to react to ZANU PF. It may be in cabinet, in parliament, in their own meetings, at rallies, in COPAC, JOMIC, National Healing Organ or any political discussion for that matter. We are yet to see and experience an MDC T which demonstrates that their political program or agenda is motivated by the real developmental dreams of the generality of the people of Zimbabwe. An MDC T that says in terms of health, education, social services, poverty alleviation, infrastructural development, agriculture, land, industrial development, HIV response, environment, employment creation, gender or mining development, our policy postulates this.

For some reason, the party (MDC T) has failed to present itself beyond just an opposite of ZANU PF and say to Zimbabweans we are going to do the following to deal with the challenges which this country is facing. Its approach has been an” unlike ZANU PF which” as if if it wasn’t for ZANU PF there would be no need for them to serve Zimbabwe. For that reason, when MDC T joined government in February 2009, they did not shift and change approach.  They remained in an opposition mode, opposing even programs which sometimes they were part of because they had not learned any other political behaviour other than opposing.

The citizenry was expecting that the MDC T will craft policies and work towards the implementation of same. In the event of meeting resistance from their colleagues in ZANU PF, they would then use that to mobilize support from Zimbabweans. But this did not happen and Zimbabweans started asking whether there was a difference between the two parties or not.  To make matters worse, the MDC T got most service delivery ministries at the formation of the inclusive government and unfortunately these ministries interface with citizens everyday and citizens are able to judge performance on the basis of that. These ministries include water, health, finance and social welfare. The fact that there has not been any significant improvement on these fronts presents a negative assessment of the MDC T in government by the public. Reports of corruption in many local government administrations notably Chitungwiza and abuse of the constituency development fund (CDF), did not help matters.  It is as such not surprising to hear a number of researchers predicting a ZANU PF victory in the event of elections.

I am afraid if the former opposition party does not deliberately adopts an approach that enables it to retain political relevance whether ZANU PF is there or not, then they are doomed. It must embrace the people of Zimbabwe and formulate strategies and policy framework based on the expressed needs of the populace. The more the MDC T continues to just react to ZANU PF behaviour and strategies, the more they are likely to reproduce the political characteristics of ZANU PF. Comments recently by Prime Minister  Richard Morgan Tsvangirai on the referendum where he described citizens who voted for “NO” while in Harare and Masvingo saying “vane mamhepo” is most unfortunate especially coming from someone who has been supposedly fighting for democracy and the cessation of hate speech by other politicians notably ZANU PF. It demonstrates not only his lack of tolerance but resistance to diversity by his party. This does not assist the situation of the MDC T given that they seem to be reproducing what they are fighting against.

Must we continue to hope that there will be light at the end of the tunnel or we remain doomed? If the MDC T is really committed to the realization of democratic dispensation in this country, they must ensure that all its business demonstrates democratic practice at all time, be it within the party, in government, or any other area of operation. Otherwise the former opposition party cannot have its cake and eat it. Unlike in 2008, when Zimbabweans voted using their stomachs, this time around l am sure the” head” will be a bit more involved.

So, the MDC T has to change its political attitude and behaviour now or they will have themselves to blame when the electorate surprise them as was the case recently in Kenya where Raila Odinga is still failing to believe what happened. It is hoped that the “excellence” is not slowly becoming complacency.

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