In a letter welcoming SADC leaders to the recent SADC Heads of
State meeting in Harare, Luke Tamborinyoka, Director of Communications in the
Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) and former Morgan Tsvangirai spokesman
admitted that SADC heads had in deed warned MDC not to take part in the
elections.
“Before the 2013 election, it is SADC that advised that reforms
be implemented first and as a party; we have now realised the folly of our
previous decisions to participate in the absence of the same,” wrote Luke.
Other than Samuel Sipepa Nkomo, one of the MDC-renewal MPs who
lost his seat after MDC-T recalled all the rebels’ seats, who admitted that
SADC and others had warned MDC about implementing the reforms and then not to
take part in the 31 July 2013 elections without reforms and MDC had paid no
heed to both warnings. Other MDC leaders had carefully avoided the subject
although they were asked to comment countless times.
Tired of avoiding the subject of whether or not SADC heads had
indeed advised MDC to implement the reforms, Tsvangirai finally addressed the
matter and categorically denied that SADC head indeed advised his party.
"...I understand there are people who have been saying that
the MDC-T participated in the 2013 elections against the advice of SADC,
against the advice of some of the people in the country. Far from it,"
said the former Prime Minister.
"SADC did not advise us in any manner or form not to
participate. In fact, they acquiesced with a push by Mugabe to have an election
in spite of the absence of reforms."
Luke’s admission confirms, if anyone ever doubted, that SADC
heads had indeed advised MDC on the reforms and warned them against taking part
in the elections without reforms. The MDC leaders had avoided the subject these
last two years, with Tsvangirai even lying about what happened, because they
wanted to avoid answering the next question, why.
So you were warned of the need to implement the reforms and you
chose to ignore the warnings. You had five years to implement the reforms and
failed to implement even one single reform. Why?
It is a rhetorical question because we all know the answer but
one that must be asked for the record.
SADC headers knew the answer; they accused MDC leaders “of
enjoying their stay in the GNU and forgot why they were there”.
Mukanya Thomas Mapfumo was less diplomatic, he said Tsvangirai
and the other MDC leaders had “sold-out”!
Of course the MDC leaders had sold-out. When they joined the GNU
Mugabe created the biggest cabinet in the nation’s history to accommodate as
many MDC as his own Zanu PF cadres on the gravy train. Tsvangirai got the $4
million Highlands mansion as a bonus!
“Mazivanhu eMDC adzidza kudya anyerere!” (MDC people have learnt
to enjoy gravy train privileges without rocking the boat!) Was the pithy remark
one got from Mugabe loyalists boosted about why MDC leaders would never
implement any of the all-important reforms!
It would be easier to get teeth from a hen than to get
Tsvangirai and any of his colleagues to admit that they are indeed corrupt,
breathtakingly incompetent and sell-outs. But that is to be expected.
What is important here is not make sure Zimbabweans know these
individuals betrayed them in the most cruel and unforgiveable way – by selling
out. But even more significantly that electing these people again would be
folly because, without a shadow of doubt, they will betray the people again!
“Our congress, the supreme decision-making body of the MDC, has
now drawn a line in the sand and has taken the position not to participate in
any election whatsoever, be it by-elections or the next general election, if
far-reaching reforms are not implemented,” wrote Luke.
MDC has already produced a list of eight reforms the party is
demanding must be implemented for it to take part in future elections. Even if
all the eight reforms were implemented, Zimbabwe’s culture of political
violence will continue unabated; none of the eight reforms will do anything to
end this very serious problem!
Tsvangirai and other have already proven beyond that they are
breathtakingly incompetent by their failure to comprehend the important of the
reforms, for example. Even now, with the benefit of hindsight, their list of
reform demands is wilfully inadequate.
Once a sell-out always a sell-out!
It is all very well for MDC leaders to finally admit “folly” of
their decision not to implement the reforms it is the ordinary people of
Zimbabwe in the first instance and those in the whole SADC region who have now
to live with the consequences of their folly cum sell-out.
The Zimbabwe economy is in total meltdown, unemployment has
soared to nauseating heights of 90%, 16% of our people are now living in abject
poverty, millions of Zimbabweans have fled to other countries in the region and
beyond cause tensions there, etc. And yet Mugabe still refuse to accept he has
failed, indeed he still talks as if his corrupt and chaotic rule is the example
all should follow!
The last GNU had offered the best chance to end the Zanu PF
dictatorship peacefully if only MDC had implemented the agreed democratic
reforms. Now it is not clear when the next opportunity will come. Still the
people of Zimbabwe must now prepare themselves and make when that opportunity
presents itself it is not wasted; this time ALL the democratic reforms must be
implemented without failure.
By continuing to follow the same MDC, Zanu PF, Mavambo, etc
leaders who have already proven beyond all doubt that they are corrupt,
breathtakingly incompetent and/or sell-outs Zimbabweans are telling SADC that
as a nation we are not serious about ending the Zanu PF dictatorship, not yet!
It would be foolish for Zimbabwe to elect corrupt and
incompetent leaders ever again and an unforgivable act of sheer political folly
to elect the same corrupt, incompetent and sell-out leaders again!
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