"I totally agree that we missed an opportunity during GNU when we controlled the levers of power that we should maybe have exerted more pressure on Zanu-PF to have all these things reformed," said Prince Dubeko Sibanda, MDC Alliance MP for Binga North.
Yes it was an MDC leader admitting the party sold-out during the 2008 to 2013 GNU. Had to check that twice!
Well, well! It has been a real tough slog just to get MDC leaders to admit they sold-out on reforms during the 2008 to 2013 GNU. Admitted having some of the most naive and gullible party supporters in the world has helped MDC leaders get away with selling out!
"I think there is a need to change strategy for influencing electoral reforms. As long as the push for reforms is coming from the opposition political parties, there is bound to be resistance," said one participant.
It was not for lack of strategy that MDC leaders failed to implement even one meaning reform in 5 years of the 2008 to 2013 GNU. They sold-out!
“Chinja! Guqula! Change!” the MDC supporters have chanted endlessly for the last 20 years. Ask them what are changes you are asking for and it is lights out! They have no clue.
Even to this day with all the benefits of hindsight, MDC supporters have no clue what the 2008 to 2013 GNU was about. It is therefore little wonder that when MDC leaders sold-out by failing to get even one meaningful reform implemented in 5 years it was all water off a duck’s back. How can they feel betrayed when they have no clue what the reforms are, how they were supposed to be implemented, etc., etc.
To be fair to the MDC supporters, most of the MDC leaders themselves have no clue what these reforms are much less for they are to be implemented.
“MP Sibanda said as MDC Alliance they would continue lobbying for reforms through Parliament, local authorities, international community as well as civic society,” said the Newsday report.
Here we go again! As long as Zanu PF continues to enjoy its carte blanche dictatorial powers to rig elections to secure the presidency and 2/3 majority no amount of lobbying will force the party to implement any reforms. Especially when the party knows that the opposition is only paying lip services to calls for reforms.
The MDC A and the rest in opposition camp participated in the July 2018 elections knowing fully well that not even one reform they had been calling for had been implemented. They knew that with no reforms, Zanu PF would rig the elections. And most significant of all, MDC A leaders et al KNEW that by participating in the flawed and illegal elections they would be giving the process “credibility”!
“The worst aspect for me about the failure to agree a coalition was that both MDCs couldn’t now do the obvious – withdraw from the (2013) elections,” wrote MDC A Senator, David Coltart.
“The electoral process was so flawed, so illegal, that the only logical step was to withdraw, which would compel SADC to hold Zanu PF to account. But such was the distrust between the MDC-T and MDC-N that neither could withdraw for fear that the other would remain in the elections, winning seats and giving the process credibility.”
So MDC leaders sold-out of reforms for the sake of the few gravy train seats they knew Zanu PF was giving away as bait. It should be noted that by participating MDC leaders gave the flawed election process credibility and, by extension, the election results some modicum of legitimacy.
The world has dismissed with contempt Nelson Chamisa and his MDC A friends’ singling out the July 2018 presidential race as flawed and Mnangagwa as illegitimate; whilst accepting the parliamentary and local election process as valid and legitimate. ZEC failed to produce a verified voters’ roll, for example, rending it impossible to trace and verified anything. This applied to all the three races.
As soon as it was clear that the November 2017 military coup had succeeded and Ambassador Chris Mutsvanga, speaking on behave of Mnangagwa, had assured MDC leaders they will be included in a new GNU; MDC leaders endorsed the coup. Morgan Tsvangirai died a “disappointed man”, according Chamisa, because Mnangagwa did not honour his GNU promise.
Chamisa had participated in the July 2018 elections confident MDC A would be rewarded with a new GNU this time. He has proved to recognise Mnangagwa as the legitimate president if the vote rigging Zanu PF regime conceded a few cabinet post to MDC leaders.
MDC leaders do not care that Zimbabwe continues to suffer the consequences of failing to hold free, fair and credible elections. They have all but given up hope of ever getting the reforms implemented. All they are fighting for is a share of the gravy train seats Zanu PF gives away as bait for participating in rigged elections.
Mark my words, MDC A are going to participate in the 2023 elections even if not even one reform has been implemented for the same reason they participated in the July 2018 elections - greed!
“I totally agree, we sold-out on reforms during the 2008 GNU!” Of course, you did and that is not all. MDC leaders sold out in the 2013 and 2018 elections and are set to do so again in 2023!
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MDC leaders did not sell-out during the GNU only they have continued to do so after. They participated in the 2013 and 2018 elections knowing fully well that with no reforms in place Zanu PF will rig the elections. They also knew that Zanu PF was giving away a few gravy train seats as a bribe for participating and these were what they were after.
MDC leaders are just paying lip service to demands for reforms. They will participate in the 2023 elections with no reform for the same reason - greed.
"I am really disappointed with his level of selfishness and that Mwonzora has sunk so low. He is claiming to defend the legacy of the late Morgan Tsvangirai by destroying what he (Tsvangirai) built. You claim you want to defend his legacy when you do not even know the origins of Tsvangirai," Chamisa told mourners.
"Mwonzora, we picked you from the wilderness, and now you want to be more MDC than us? Just because you are pursuing a petty agenda, an agenda which you are not even going to win?"
"MDC supporters picked it long back Mwonzora was a sellout and they urged me to expel him from the party but I called for patience. I said let's not expel him from the party, let's give him a long rope to hang himself. Look where he is now?
"How can you defend the legacy of Tsvangirai when you do not want to be part of the MDC Alliance which Tsvangirai laid the foundation?"
The MDC Alliance leader said Mwonzora's actions had resulted in taxpayers footing a $18 million bill to allow the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) to conduct by-elections in all constituencies and wards left vacant following the recalls.
ZEC announced this week that it required $18 million to conduct by-elections now set for 5 December 2020.
"Look at how much the unwarranted recalls by a bitter Mwonzora are now costing the taxpayers? Why do you want to condemn the whole country into a by-election?
"What kind of a country is it that always stays in an election mode? Worse (President Emmerson) Mnangagwa is an accomplice who just says ‘let's go for elections' knowing very well that nurses and doctors need money, hospitals have no medication. Why not use that $18 million?"
"Why should we be an election country? Why should we be electioneering all the time? Are the by-elections going to help us to sort out the crisis in this country?
The political crisis ripping MDC apart today started with Chamisa’s palace coup following the death of Tsvangirai. He has refused to admit he behaved like a thug, which is just typical of our politicians from both sides of the political divide.
Zimbabwe is facing the greatest health and economic challenge this nation has ever faced. The country is failing to raise enough money to pay nurses and doctors so they can go to work, to buy PPE, to buy the covid-19 tests kits, etc., etc. It really would be insane for the country to then waste US$18 million bankrolling these stupid by-elections.
Stupid because with its 2/3 majority Zanu PF is doing as it pleases and the results of the by-elections will not change one iota the quality of government, so why bother. Each respective party should just appoint a replacement MP and spare the nation the theatrics and expense.
@ Mashingaidze
I agree with most of what you said but totally reject the notion that Zimbabweans have done everything to bring about democratic change.
“For the past two decades Zimbabwean citizens have engaged in diverse, valiant efforts to use every legally available avenue to expedite democratic reform,” you said.
The country had a golden opportunity to implement the democratic reforms during the 2008 to 2013 GNU. Not even one reform was implemented because MDC leaders sold-out. Only the other day one of the MDC leaders, Binga North MDC A MP Sibanda, admitted that MDC did indeed sell-out during the GNU.
If we are ever going to get out of this mess then we must face the facts; we are not going to end the Zanu PF dictatorship with corrupt, incompetent and sell-out opposition leaders. Never!
Hlatywayo reiterated that only dialogue can achieve lasting solutions to the multi-layered crises.
"We maintain the position that Zimbabwe faces a legitimacy and governance crisis that can only be resolved through sincere dialogue underwritten by the international community. Thereafter, the State requires to go through a process of deep, systemic economic and political reforms," he said.
"What we want is a solution to the crisis in Zimbabwe and Sadc region and Africa at large play a pivotal role to achieve that.”
MDC had the golden opportunity to implement the reforms during the 2008 to 2013 GNU but failed to get even one token reform implemented. All Chamisa and company are gunning for are ministerial posts in a new GNU. A parliament with 2/3 Zanu PF majority will never implement any meaningful reforms. Zanu PF will never reform itself out of office.
The solution is a new GNU in which neither Zanu PF nor MDC will play a part. The July 2018 elections were flawed and illegal and so both Zanu PF and MDC are illegitimate. The two parties have played a part in landing the nation in this mess and it will be insane to let them hold the nation to ransom going forward!
Zimbabweans like to talk of the country as a democratic country, especially the opposition and their supporters. They have no clue what they are talking about.
The word democracy comes from the Greek words "demos", meaning people, and "kratos" meaning power; so democracy can be thought of as "power of the people": a way of governing which depends on the will of the people.
When the people have no clue what is in their own best interest; have no clue what is going on; they don’t know where they are, where they are going or how to get there; etc. there are just as helpless as a child. Of course, both Zanu PF and the opposition have exploited the people’s ignorance for their own selfish gain.
Indeed, both Zanu PF and MDC have cooperated in keeping the electorate ignorant. When the country gained her independence Robert Mugabe and his Zanu PF cronies moved very swiftly to make sure the media, which until then was muzzled to keep the black majority ignorant and to save the white colonial interests, kept the muzzle firmly in place. The media was now to save the Zanu PF ruling elite’s interest.
Morgan Tsvangirai and his MDC friends had the opportunity to take off the muzzle on the media and free the media and society. Only Tsvangirai asked for was that the public media must stop calling him a puppet. They did but not for long!
It is very sad but nonetheless true that many Zimbabweans out there have no clue what the 2008 GNU was about muchness that MDC leaders sold-out. Even after leaders like MP Sibanda have confessed to selling out the overwhelming majority of Zimbabweans have no clue what he is talking about.
Democracy, power of the people; yeah right! When the electorate are naive and gullible it is the ruling elite who have all the power; it is the tail that wags the dog!
MDC leaders admit they sold-out during the 2008 to 2013 GNU by failing to implement reform and yet they continue selling out by participating in elections knowing fully well Zanu PF will rig the elections. No doubt at some point in the future, MDC leaders will, once again admit the sold out in 2013 and 2018! How utterly pointless!
A total of 416 PCR tests were conducted yesterday and positivity was 44 percent. There are now 7 508 confirmed cases and 224 deaths.
This is a joke! Zimbabwe must be one of the countries that has continue to have rising corona virus numbers and yet has reduced the number of covid-19 tests. No one believes Zimbabwe's covid-19 figures because they do not make any sense!
Chamisa attacked the Thokozani Khupe led MDC-T for betraying the people's struggle, saying during any democratic struggle, some faint-hearted fall by the wayside while others decided to sell-out the struggle for the love of money.
"But some, when they got weary, they sold out because of the love of money and that (money) they got it from Madam Kwaramba's party," he said in apparent reference to Zanu-PF MP Goodluck Kwaramba (proportional representation) who was among the mourners.
Chamisa added: "That is the problem with all revolutions. If it takes time, some will sell-out. It's not new, but some of us we will soldier on in this struggle. It is not about mercenaries, but about missionaries.”
Talk of selling-out; you have failed to implement even one democratic change in 5 years of the 2008 to 2013 GNU when MDC had the golden opportunity to do so. Mugabe bribed the MDC leaders with the trappings of high office; the ministerial limos, the generous salaries and allowance, etc. Chamisa was the Minister of Technology and spent the five years toying with the Nokia mobile phones and completely forgot about the democratic reforms.
When Chamisa was reminded of the folly of participating in the July 2018 elections with no reforms in place he dismissed the warning with contempt. “MDC has devised stringent measures to stop Zanu PF rigging elections!” he boasted.
Of course, Chamisa knew Zanu PF was rigging the elections but also knew that Zanu PF would give away a few gravy train seats and a proportion of the Political Party Finance (Act) payout; these were what he and his MDC friends were after.
Since the 2018 rigged elections Chamisa has been campaigning for cabinet posts in the Zanu PF government, just to increase MDC’s share of the spoils of power.
MDC will never implement the democratic reforms and deliver free, fair and credible elections. The party leaders sold-out on that cause a long time ago all they are after now is how they can increase their share of the spoils of power with Zanu PF.
The opposition MDC-Alliance has embarked on program dubbed #2020MunhuWeseKumusha campaign as a way of establishing their branch structures in the rural areas.
Organising Secretary Amos Chibaya told structures that they must organize themselves in branches which are modelled along the polling stations.
The party is gearing up for the 2023 elections.
Ever since the 2008 to 2013 GNU, Zanu PF has learnt that the party can blatantly rig the elections and get away with it, as long as it allows the opposition to win a few gravy train seats.
Morgan Tsvangirai and company failed to implement even one reform during the 2008 to 2013 GNU and were warned not to participate in the 2013 elections without reforms. They refused to listen and Zanu PF went on to blatantly rig those elections.
MDC made a party congress resolution not to participate in future elections until reforms are implemented. “No reforms! No elections!” they said. They abandoned their resolution and participated in the July 2018 elections.
“MDC has stringent measures to stop Zanu PF rigging the elections,” Chamisa boasted before the 2018 elections. All nonsense, of course.
The opposition did not even have the common sense to demand that ZEC produce a verified voters’ roll; a legal and common sense requirement.
MDC are already preparing to participate in the 2023 elections although not even one reform has been implemented. Mnangagwa knows that he does not need to implement any reforms as long as MDC will participate regardless!
MDC leaders have been running with the hare and hunting with the hounds. The people of Zimbabwe have been slow to see this and have paid dearly for it!
@ Mukwirivindi
MDC will never boycott elections regardless how flawed and illegal the process gets as long as Zanu PF does not get too greedy and deny them the bait gravy train seats! President Ramaphosa may be naive enough to know that MDC have sold-out but everyone else knows that they have.
Mnangagwa is very pleased with himself that the MDC factions are tearing each other to pieces at a time when the country is facing the greatest challenge of our generation. Zanu PF's blundering incompetence has turned the corona virus pandemic from a tragedy into a catastrophe of Biblical proportion and the silence from the opposition has been deafening! Of course, Mnangagwa must be very pleased about the chaos and foolishness of the opposition!
The call by MDC Alliance leader Nelson Chamisa for regional intervention speaks to what several stakeholders have long said, that Zimbabwe needs to dialogue with the mediation of the region to get out of its current political and economic logjam, which has started affecting other countries in the region.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa's administration has a responsibility to the population to fulfil its electoral promises rather than create enemies everywhere.
The dialogue Chamisa is asking for is one leading to the formation of yet another Zanu PF and MDC GNU so he and a few other MDC leaders can have cabinet position complete with the ministerial limos, generous salaries and allowance. The 2008 to 2013 GNU failed to implement even one reform hence the reason the country is stuck in this mess. We do not want to go down the same route.
The way out of this mess is for Zanu PF to step down, the regime is illegitimate, to allow the nation to appoint other people who will implement the reforms.
Why anyone would want to talk with MDC too beggars belief; they are the village idiots who failed to implement the reforms and got us into this mess. The very fact that our SA neighbours want to talk to MDC only goes to show just how stupid Ramaphosa and his advisors are.
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