MDC appeals to the public more

After two very hot public debates hosted by Bulawayo Agenda and Gwanda Agenda, the Welshman Ncube led MDC appears to be coming out with a clear message than its rival political parties.

The two public debates held in Bulawayo on Thursday and Gwanda on Saturday sort to bring to the public discussion forum which party has a better way forward over the others in the wake of discords in the parties after the July 31 elections. The MDC represented on both occassions by party spokesperson Nhlanhla Bahlangene Dube put across its proposed way forward one of a coalition of diplomats more vivid and clearly than its main rival in the call for a coalition the MDC T.

Speaking at the gatherings Dube emphasised that the only way forward for the country is for people committed to a democratic change in the country to reconvene and redraft a way forward following the diversion of the MDC from its original values under the leadership of Morgan Tsvangirai. In contrast the trouble MDC T has not been as eloquent in its call for people to come together under the so called Big Tent coalition under the leadership of Morgan Tsvangirai.

"As the MDC we are calling upon all the democratic elements in the country from the civic groups, to churches, to political parties to come together and identify a single presidential candidate for the 2018 election who will be a true democrat," Dube said. "It is unfortunate that we can no longer consider Morgan Tsvangirai as that kind of a democrat after failing to lead for change over 15 years by diverting from the values of true democrats."

While the MDC T has tried very hard to convince the public that their proposed coalition under the leadership of Morgan Tsvangirai is the way to go, Tsvangirai's oppositions within the party who call themselves the MDC Team also known as the renewal team have effectively managed to shoot down the Big Tent theory. While the renewal team managed to somehow discredit the Big Tent theory they have unfortunately not been able to clearly put across their own position with regards to the way forward other than just calling for the removal of Morgan Tsvangirai.

Speaking at the Gwanda meeting, MDC T representative Mr Tandeko Zinti Mkandla somehow managed to show the uncertainty in the MDC T members by continuously refusing to commit himself to the on goings in his party which made it apparent that the party is divided and members not sure which side to go with. The ruling ZANU PF represented by Christopher Dube at the Bulawayo meeting also failed to present any meaningful new way forward for the country attracting with him booing from the members of the public. Their failure to also send a representative to the Gwanda forum clearly confirmed the ruling party's lack of any fresh ideas to present to the electorate.

The main question remains from the public debates, who is going to lead the more logically presented idea of a coalition of democrats? While a majority of members of the public attending the meetings agree with the MDC on the proposed dispensation the MDC T supporters appear to be adamant that any such coalition should be under the leadership of Morgan Tsvangirai a certainly check mate bound status as the other opposition parties will not have any more of the leadership of Morgan Tsvangirai.

Interviewed after the meetings both in Gwanda and Bulawayo members of the public appreciated the Bulawayo Agenda meetings as they gave them an opportunity to understand better what the political parties have in mind for the country going forward.