Mugabe's best ally - Opposition Parties

It is very difficult to write an argument against a Coalition arrangement to unseat one of the world's longest serving entrenched dictator except that in Zimbabwe, such an arrangement is meaningless because the opposition has zero influence in key state institutions (the civil service, the judiciary, the media, the army, central bank, and electoral commission) to serve their interests - as such, the idea of a Zimbabwe Coalition is just a facade.

 

Who coined the phrase for every force in nature there is a counter-force? A force only dominates when the counter-force is weak or non-existent. Mugabe has dominated the political scene because the opposition - both domestic and international resistance - is weak, fragmented, and constantly bickering.

 

First there is Tendai Biti whose 2008, 'regai vatonge' pronouncement marked the height of his career but it has been a downhill trend from then. He has lost all political relevance after his failed bid of forming his own opposition political party. Now he is trying to gain relevance by supporting the political sterile Tsvangirai's bid to lead a group of handpicked grand coalition group against ZANU (PF) and relentlessly attacking Emerson Mnangagwa, really? Tendai knows how smart and shrewd this Emerson guy is. ZANU (PF) look up to Emerson for leadership. Read the mood Tendai or go back to practice law.

Second comes Tsvangirai - Please understand, no one single individual or political party can by himself or itself remove an entrenched despot from power. It takes an alliance of opposition forces and careful planning. You must have learned from previous 'The Zimbabwe we Want' efforts. This should have provided you with the foundation, and an understanding of what went wrong? How could we fix it and be more effective this time around?

 

Then we have Mujuru etl stampeding to be under Morgan's table so they can feed from the falling bread crumbs. Why rush to a bankrupt party for solutions? As an example, MDC had to settle for three Vice Presidents; the two Vice Presidents concept was born as a condition for the 1987 unity agreement between ZANU (PF) and PF ZAPU; why is MDC following this model?

 

Let us think of something else that works. There is need for some group - say, an elders' council (not Tsvangirai) - to coordinate the activities of all opposition groups to achieve focus and impact. Presently, activists and opposition activities are disparate. Democracy activists and opposition parties operate separately on an ad hoc basis. There is a need to join forces and prioritize causes. An elders' council can make this determination based upon the needs of the situation. Such elder's councils have worked well in other countries like Sudan (1985) and Ghana (1995), not the Ibbo Mandaza platform proposal where leaders are selected from an elite select group.

 

I believe The Sovereign National Conference (SNC) is another vehicle that will give Zimbabwe an authentically indigenous character. It can be modeled after our own cultural and political institution - DARE (the village meeting). Framed this way, it is impossible for any stakeholder to dismiss the calls for reform as "Western imperialist plots."

 

I am unease about 2018 elections because they are going to give Mugabe the biggest mandate to rule. I live in the village and ZANU (PF) has set up well-oiled structures that I do not see opposition parties being able to penetrate. I don't see any coordination and calculation on the part of the opposition in crafting strategies to compete where I am; Look at Gutu and Mwenezi by-election results. ZANU (PF) however has its own issues that might encourage them to participate in the SNC; the economy, sanctions, infighting, and it is a Zimbabwean solution offered by Zimbabwean people.