News / National
Centralisation of power MDC-T's albatross
01 Sep 2017 at 06:43hrs | Views
CENTRALISATION of power in the MDC-T is cited as one of the reasons the opposition party has failed to take over power from Zanu-PF since its inception in 1999, a new independent report has revealed.
In its August report, the Research and Advocacy Unit (RAU), said Morgan Tsvangirai's MDC-T had failed to take over power from the Zanu-PF regime mainly due to a leadership crisis emanating from its "one centre of power" policy.
"At the heart of the succession crisis, a central problem has been, and still is, the manner in which political power has been concentrated in the presidency, and has led to what Brian Kagoro has termed the three tragedies of Zimbabwe; a crisis of leadership and followership; leaders with power have no ideas and those with ideas have no power; a country that runs on memory and not imagination," the report read.
"This diagnosis seems remarkably apt in the current state of Zimbabwe, and applies more widely than merely to the ruling party.
"However, it is the ruling party, and its centralised power, that is fundamentally responsible for the tragedies.
"This centralisation of power is also evident in the opposition MDC-T and this has been said to be one of the reasons the opposition has failed to take over power."
In 2014, MDC-T amended the party's constitution to have all administrative powers centred around Tsvangirai, with analysts warning that it was likely to further weaken the already fractured opposition party.
Following the amendments, Tsvangirai has purged some of his lieutenants viewed as a threat to his position.
MDC-T spokesperson, Obert Gutu yesterday declined to comment on the matter, saying he had not read the report.
"I haven't read that report. Let me first have a look at it, read it and then I will be in a position to respond," he said.
In its August report, the Research and Advocacy Unit (RAU), said Morgan Tsvangirai's MDC-T had failed to take over power from the Zanu-PF regime mainly due to a leadership crisis emanating from its "one centre of power" policy.
"At the heart of the succession crisis, a central problem has been, and still is, the manner in which political power has been concentrated in the presidency, and has led to what Brian Kagoro has termed the three tragedies of Zimbabwe; a crisis of leadership and followership; leaders with power have no ideas and those with ideas have no power; a country that runs on memory and not imagination," the report read.
"This diagnosis seems remarkably apt in the current state of Zimbabwe, and applies more widely than merely to the ruling party.
"However, it is the ruling party, and its centralised power, that is fundamentally responsible for the tragedies.
In 2014, MDC-T amended the party's constitution to have all administrative powers centred around Tsvangirai, with analysts warning that it was likely to further weaken the already fractured opposition party.
Following the amendments, Tsvangirai has purged some of his lieutenants viewed as a threat to his position.
MDC-T spokesperson, Obert Gutu yesterday declined to comment on the matter, saying he had not read the report.
"I haven't read that report. Let me first have a look at it, read it and then I will be in a position to respond," he said.
Source - newsday
