news / national
Mugabe uses Tsvangirai, Ncube rift to his advantage
03 Jun 2011 at 02:14hrs | Views
According to reports by NewsDay on Monday, political analysts have various views on the position taken by Prime Minister, Morgan Tsvangirai not to support Welshman Ncube's appointment as one of the principals in the government of national unity.
On the newspaper's website cited that Lovemore Madhuku and Eldred Masunungure said it was not necessary for Tsvangirai to return Ncube's favour to his party - supporting the MDC-T during the election of Speaker of the House of Assembly, Lovemore Moyo.
But, one political analyst, Greg Linington said he was disappointed that Tsvangirai failed to support the MDC faction as a return of the Speaker vote favour especially as that gave President Robert Mugabe chances to thrive on the disunity of the MDCs.
"The issue is not whether it is fair or not for Tsvangirai to support Ncube into assuming the position of principal," said Madhuku.
"The support of MDC- T to MDC-N should not depend on personalities and if MDC-T wanted to support anything, it must only be based on what they believe is right," he said.
Madhuku said the support that the Ncube faction gave to Moyo was because the MDC-N did not have a candidate and had to support someone from Matabeleland.
Linington, a lawyer and political sciences lecturer, however said it was unfair for Tsvangirai not to support Ncube.
"What Tsvangirai does not realise is that such failures to work together as MDCs are the ones that Mugabe uses to keep them divided. If the MDCs were united during the last election, the whole issue of the Presidency would have been in their favour," Linington said.
Another political analyst, Eldred Masunungure said there was nothing Tsvangirai could do to support Ncube on this issue as the matter was before the courts.
"Until the matter is dealt with through judicial means, Mugabe and Tsvangirai's hands were tied. I also do not think there is need for the MDCs to unite and I do not see that happening during elections.
"We do not have to form one political organisation to remove Mugabe," Masunungure said.
He said it was not necessary for the MDCs to swallow each other into one party, but what they could do to remove Mugabe was to cooperate and say they would not split votes by contesting against each other.
Masunungure said the support that the Ncube faction gave MDC-T during the election of Moyo was a result of negotiation and politics was all about discussions, compromise and bargaining.
On the newspaper's website cited that Lovemore Madhuku and Eldred Masunungure said it was not necessary for Tsvangirai to return Ncube's favour to his party - supporting the MDC-T during the election of Speaker of the House of Assembly, Lovemore Moyo.
But, one political analyst, Greg Linington said he was disappointed that Tsvangirai failed to support the MDC faction as a return of the Speaker vote favour especially as that gave President Robert Mugabe chances to thrive on the disunity of the MDCs.
"The issue is not whether it is fair or not for Tsvangirai to support Ncube into assuming the position of principal," said Madhuku.
"The support of MDC- T to MDC-N should not depend on personalities and if MDC-T wanted to support anything, it must only be based on what they believe is right," he said.
Madhuku said the support that the Ncube faction gave to Moyo was because the MDC-N did not have a candidate and had to support someone from Matabeleland.
"What Tsvangirai does not realise is that such failures to work together as MDCs are the ones that Mugabe uses to keep them divided. If the MDCs were united during the last election, the whole issue of the Presidency would have been in their favour," Linington said.
Another political analyst, Eldred Masunungure said there was nothing Tsvangirai could do to support Ncube on this issue as the matter was before the courts.
"Until the matter is dealt with through judicial means, Mugabe and Tsvangirai's hands were tied. I also do not think there is need for the MDCs to unite and I do not see that happening during elections.
"We do not have to form one political organisation to remove Mugabe," Masunungure said.
He said it was not necessary for the MDCs to swallow each other into one party, but what they could do to remove Mugabe was to cooperate and say they would not split votes by contesting against each other.
Masunungure said the support that the Ncube faction gave MDC-T during the election of Moyo was a result of negotiation and politics was all about discussions, compromise and bargaining.
Source - TNZ
