MDC A is dismissing Douglas Mwonzora’s call for national political dialogue, involving MDC-T, MDC A and Zanu PF as the leading player, as a waste of time.
”Well, you have no dispute with Zanu-PF that requires anything that can be sensibly called national dialogue," Fadzayi Mahere, MDC A spokesperson counted.
"You're in constant communication with Zanu-PF as you plot to usurp the will of the people. So what dialogue do you now seek?
"How does a puppet dialogue with its puppet master.”
This is just a nonsensical argument comparable to the garbage we have often heard from former US President Donald Trump’s lawyers!
Mwonzora, Mudzuri and many members now in the Mwonzora led MDC-T factions were in the MDC A camp together with Chamisa, Biti, etc. right up to the March 2020 Supreme Court ruling confirmed an earlier High Court ruling that Chamisa’s seizure of the party’s leadership following Morgan Tsvangirai’s death was illegal.
If the purpose of the national dialogue is to resolve the Mnangagwa legitimacy then Mwonzora and company have as much right to a meaningful say in the matter as Chamisa, Biti and all those who have remained in MDC A. The decision to challenge presidential result and the Constitutional Court ruling declaring Mnangagwa the winner was made by MDC A members way before the March 2020 split.
Besides, the legitimacy question would have never even arisen is MDC leaders, from both MDC A and MDC-T faction divide, had implemented the democratic reforms, especially during the 2008 to 2013 GNU when they had the golden opportunity to do so. And, as if selling out on reforms was not bad enough, they all participating in the flawed and illegal July 2018 elections KNOWING fully well that doing so would give Zanu PF legitimacy!
“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 David Coltart, MDC A Treasurer General, in his book, The Struggle Continues 50 years of Tyranny in Zimbabwe.
“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.”
The MDC A was the coalition Coltart said was missing before the 2013 elections. As we know, they still failed to “do the obvious - withdraw from the 2018 elections”!
Of course, it is political opportunism and grandstanding on the part of Nelson Chamisa to be wittering about Mnangagwa’s “lack of legitimacy” when he knew MDC A’s participation in the flawed election would give Zanu PF legitimacy.
“MDC A has stringent measures to stop Zanu PF rigging the elections!” boasted Nelson Chamisa, before the 2018 elections.
The world is sick and tired of politicians who participate in flawed election processes, claiming they can win rigged elections, only to complain afterwards of “stolen elections.”
"Senator Mwonzora, for dialogue to work, the parties involved must have genuine political capital," chipped in Alex Magaisa, Morgan Tsvangirai’s Chief Legal Advisor during the 2008 to 2013 GNU.
"That's why Lancaster House worked in 1979 while the Smith-Muzorewa show in 1978 flopped. Lancaster was genuine, while the Internal Settlement was Smith's marionette show."
Well Morgan Tsvangirai certainly had “political capital” going into the 2008 to 2013 GNU because he had 73% of the popular vote in the March 2008 vote, according to Robert Mugabe’s Freudian slip.
The primary task of the 2008 GNU was to implement the raft of democratic reforms designed to stop the blatant cheating that enabled Zanu PF to whittle down Tsvangirai’s 73% to 47% to force the run-off. And to end the wanton violence to punish the voters for rejecting Mugabe and Zanu PF in the early vote. Mugabe had 84% of the vote in the run-off.
As we know, Tsvangirai and his MDC friends failed to implement even one reform in 5 years of the GNU. Mugabe was able to bribe the MDC leaders, including the Chief Legal Advisor, with the trappings of high office and, with their snouts in the feeding trough, they completely forgot about the reforms.
6 comments:
Mahere calling Mwonzora a puppet is the pot calling the pan black. Mwonzora has proven himself to be corrupt, incompetent and utterly useless during the 2008 to 2013 GNU when the MDC wasted the golden opportunity to implement the democratic reforms. Whilst Mahere herself did not play any leading role in the GNU it is common knowledge that Chamisa, Biti and many of the MDC A leaders she is now working with in the MDC A did. It is therefore foolish, to say the least, to single out Mwonzora as the puppet and say nothing about his fellow puppets.
How is it possible that Alex Magaisa, even now with the benefit of hindsight, still fails to see the 2008 to 2013 GNU as a complete failure speaks volumes of the man. Zimbabwe has many individuals how have seemingly excelled in their field or profession but have also shown to be shockingly naive and devoid of common sense. Dr Alex Magaisa is one such Zimbabwean, good at regurgitating case law but incapable of anything original.
Of course, the 2008 to 2013 GNU was a complete disaster regardless of MDC having the political and moral support in Zimbabwe, in SADC and the international community. All the political capital counted for nothing given MDC leaders are corrupt and breathtakingly incompetent!
@ Nads
“Patrick, do you think withdrawal from an election of one or parties will stop an election in Africa let alone Zimbabwe?”
Let’s deal with the reality as it exist and stop answering imaginary questions!
What David Coltart said in the book was correct, the opposition leaders could see that Zanu PF was blatantly rigging the election but they also knew that Zanu PF was offering a few gravy train seats to entice them to participate. Coltart and company participated because could not resist the bribe. Coltart also readily admitted that by participate the opposition gave legitimacy to the vote rigging Zanu PF - this is a party that does not give away anything without taking away even more for itself!
Why are you ignoring these historic facts and coming up with some feeble excuse why the MDC had to participate in the flawed elections.
If we accept that elections must go ahead regardless how flawed, to take your feeble excuse to its logical conclusion, then why are we wasting time coming up with the rules on elections. Zanu PF will certainly dispense with the few gravy train seats bribe, why bother when the opposition will participate and give the election legitimacy regardless!
@ Arthur Mntungwa
“It’s not about stopping an election. It is about not giving an obviously flawed election the credibility, the authors of that election so desperately want. It doesn't matter that other parties choose to participate. A boycott is still effective if the most popular, and the largest opposition party refuses to participate. It’s effective in the sense that it is highly unlikely that a flawed election boycotted by the largest opposition with receive a stamp of approval from SADC, the AU and the international Community. By participating, you are putting these bodies in a difficult position, should you dispute the outcome.”
Thank you, Arthur!
In the case of the July 2013 elections it was none other than the SADC leaders themselves who advised MDC leaders not to take part in the elections without reform. “If you take part you will lose, the elections are done!” they warned. Tsvangirai and company did not listen and participated in the elections.
MDC leaders were convinced they had the overwhelming supported and no rigging by Zanu PF could overhaul their massive vote. How wrong, naive and stupid that turned out to be!
You are right, MDC’s stupidity has put SADC and the international community in very difficult position of having to accept Zanu PF as the fiat accompli government because by participating opposition gave the vote rigging Zanu PF legitimacy.
@ Nads
“I am just asking to be educated, because the reality today is if Chamisa is to withdraw, do you Dougie will do the same??? I don’t think so at all and nothing will be done to the ruling party. That’s how I see it.”
There is nothing wrong with asking.
The question you are asking is the same question MDC-T and MDC-N asked themselves back in 2013 and the answer then was no neither trusted the other to boycott the elections if they did. The answer is the same ten years latter; neither Mwonzora or Chamisa would trust the other to join and boycott the elections.
Indeed, a more realistic approach would be why would Mwonzora or Chamisa want to boycott elections now when they have participated since 2013?
As long as Zanu PF continues to dangle the few gravy train seats MDC-T, MDC A and all the usual suspects will be contesting the next elections with no verified voters’ roll, no public media reforms, no end to the rampant corruption that is bankrolling Zanu PF’s vote rigging juggernaut, etc.
MDC leaders have proven beyond all reasonable doubt that they are corrupt and incompetent when they failed to implement even one reform during the 2008 to 2013 GNU. To now try to separate Chamisa and Mwonzora and view one as better than the one is as foolish as viewing Mnangagwa as better/worse than Mugabe. We should view Chamisa and Mwonzora the same way a mouse views a cobra and black mamba - these are deadly snakes!
Mwonzora and Chamisa will never implement any democratic reforms, they had the golden opportunity to do so and they messed it up. With no free, fair and credible elections Zanu PF will remain in power for decades and we povo are doomed to suffer and die as the nation sinks deeper and deeper into the abyss.
In short, asking if Mwonzora will boycott elections if Chamisa did is as irrelevant as asking will bolting the stable door after the horse has already bolt keep the horse in? You are asking a stupid question!!!!
@ Cecilia R Chimbiri
When they go low we go high!
They are trying hard to bury us they don’t know we are seeds.
We are never deterred, we remain strong and encouraged.
Comrades, friends and family thank you so much for the solidarity and unwavering support you have shown us during our time of incarceration.
It’s very unfortunate the state is using persecution by prosecution and it’s appalling they are those who think they are above the law on this Zimbabwean soil.
The trouble with political rhetoric is that the more it is repeated the more meaningless it becomes and, worst of all, the more the piper believes his own tune.
It was USA ambassador to Zimbabwe 2004 to 2007, Chris Dell who said Morgan Tsvangirai is “a flawed and indecisive character who will be an albatross round the nation’s neck is ever got into power”. The ambassador could have said the same of all the MDC leaders and still be spot on!
MDC leaders have failed to implement even one democratic reform in all the 20 years, 5 of which in the GNU, on the political centre stage. Instead of asking themselves why they have been a total failure they continue ploughing the same farrow, repeating the same foolish nonsense.
MDC’s pathetic performance is due to the fact that the leaders themselves are corrupt and incompetent. The infighting that has torn the party this last year is of your own making and to pretend otherwise is foolish!
MDC A is once again preparing to contest the 2023 elections with no reforms in place. By participating MDC is giving the vote rigging Zanu PF legitimacy; these MDC buffoons are the albatross round the nation’s neck, alright!
“When they go low we go high!” Yeah right! So you think by giving Zanu PF legitimacy that is going high!!!! How stupid!
@ V Tsvangirai
“After the disastrous 2013 election, the MDC-T family and its president Morgan Tsvangirai woke up to see a picture of Alex Magaisa, Jonathan Moyo, Saviour Kasukuwere and other G40 kingpins at a lodge on the outskirts of Harare.
Immediately, it began to dawn on the over-trusting MDC-T that the man whom it had entrusted with the duty of advising its president could actually have been secretly dining with their opponent, the then united, if not a faction of, Zanu-PF.
After Operation Restore Legacy in November, 2017 it was clear that Dr Magaisa's sympathies lay with the ZANU-PF element that had been ousted from power.
What is evident is that the 2009 to 2013 GNU period was one of the most progressive socio-political and economic periods in our post-independence Zimbabwe.
There was relative peace and stability with extreme show of tolerance across the political divide.”
You are just the son of your father, Vincent! USA ambassador to Zimbabwe, Chris Dell said your father “was a flawed and indecisive character who will be an albatross round the nation’s neck!” The ambassador was right about the father and now it is clear the son too!
You acknowledge the 2013 elections were a complete disaster for the MDC and elude to the leaders’s “over trusting” naivety. And yet you later claim that the “2009 to 2013 GNU period was one of the most progressive socio-political and economic periods in our post-independence Zimbabwe.” Hence displaying the family’s “flawed and indecisive” streak!
The 2013 elections were a complete disaster for MDC and the nation because Zanu PF had retained all its dictatorial powers including the carte blanche power to rig elections thanks to MDC leaders failure to implement even one reform in five years of he GNU!
Even now, with all the benefit of hindsight, you still have no clue what the primary purpose of the 2009 GNU was much less that MDC leaders sold out. And you are an MP? The nation’s destiny is in you and your, equally corrupt and incompetent, fellow MPs’ hands!!! Ambassador Dell was right, you lot are just an albatross round the nation’s neck!
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