Opinion / Columnist
Mujuru Tsvangirai coalition a problematic exercise in futile gains
20 Apr 2017 at 17:22hrs | Views
I, Farai Maguwu, am distressed to learn that MDC-T leader Morgan Richard Tsvangirai has signed an MOU with the National People First leader Joyce Mujuru. First, this coalition is insufficient to deal with electoral fraud by ZANU PF. It does not address the militarization of the electoral process which disenfranchises tens of thousands of Zimbabweans through state terror. It is an alliance into oblivion for MDC-T.
I was going to be a bit sympathetic if they had formed an alliance to mobilize Zimbabweans for mass demonstrations saying no elections before genuine electoral reforms. But it seems this is a money spinning pact and it has nothing to do with the change we desperately need.
ZANU PF secretary for Administration Ignatius Chombo was in the newspapers yesterday saying no electoral reforms will take place ahead of 2018 election.
But more importantly I fail to reconcile Joyce Mujuru's past and the future Zimbabweans want - a future free of fear and want; a future that gives hope to a troubled nation. Joyce Mujuru's hands are dripping with the blood of MDCT supporters who must be turning in their graves and shocked at what the party they died for has become.
Joice Mujuru defended corruption by ZANU PF officials publicly up to the last day she was kicked out of that party kicking and screaming. She was Vice President in 2008 when more than 400 MDCT supporters and officials were murdered in cold blood by ZANU PF after Zimbabweans had delivered victory to Morgan Tsvangirai - a victory he temporarily ran away from and later returned to hand over to Robert Mugabe who retained executive authority whilst Morgan was satisfied with a useless Prime Minister's post. Joice Mujuru never condemned the violence and she benefitted from the killings by remaining Vice President beyond her legal mandate of 31 March 2008.
By entering into a pact with Joyce Mujuru, Morgan Tsvangirai has sold out the people's struggle and betrayed thousands of his supporters who suffered many things at the hands of ZANU PF, then Joyce's party. By joining hands with Mujuru Morgan has abdicated from principle. It is safe to conclude we no longer have an opposition in Zimbabwe.
How will his new friends in NPP face the people they terrorized yesterday.
Furthermore, what value would Joice Mujuru possibly add to the coalition, let alone the struggle for democracy in Zimbabwe. Her perceived strength and influence is more of an assumption than fact. On the ground, it even appears, she has none. Just recently, she participated in the Bikita by-election and she was trounced heavily, meaning she has failed to use whatever knowledge she is supposed to have of ZANU PF rigging antics to her advantage.
Her erstwhile colleague Kudakwashe Bhasikiti chickened out of Mwenezi by election citing intimidation. This is the same path the MDC-T has travelled. We know this already. It illustrates that NPP are probably no more than inspired novices. I don't know if they have something new to unleash in 2018 but so far the MDCT is much stronger and better without Joice Mujuru.
MDC-T does not need an electoral pact with compromised parties to win elections. MDC-T has won elections since 2000 but denied by the military from taking power. Coalition talks presuppose that ZANU Pf has a superior mass support - which is a lie.
The strategy we need is how to create an even electoral field. How do we protect rural villagers from state terror during election time? How do we protect the people's vote in the event of an unlikely MDC-T victory? I don't see how Joyce answers to these. She has remained very loyal to Mugabe and she avoids mentioning him by name in her public speeches. She recently said she has no information on how the 2013 election was rigged.
She brings nothing to the table. No gains. No advantages. No support. That to me, is an exercise in zero sum gains.
Farai Maguwu is a political analyst. Article appears on Khuluma Afrika.
I was going to be a bit sympathetic if they had formed an alliance to mobilize Zimbabweans for mass demonstrations saying no elections before genuine electoral reforms. But it seems this is a money spinning pact and it has nothing to do with the change we desperately need.
ZANU PF secretary for Administration Ignatius Chombo was in the newspapers yesterday saying no electoral reforms will take place ahead of 2018 election.
But more importantly I fail to reconcile Joyce Mujuru's past and the future Zimbabweans want - a future free of fear and want; a future that gives hope to a troubled nation. Joyce Mujuru's hands are dripping with the blood of MDCT supporters who must be turning in their graves and shocked at what the party they died for has become.
Joice Mujuru defended corruption by ZANU PF officials publicly up to the last day she was kicked out of that party kicking and screaming. She was Vice President in 2008 when more than 400 MDCT supporters and officials were murdered in cold blood by ZANU PF after Zimbabweans had delivered victory to Morgan Tsvangirai - a victory he temporarily ran away from and later returned to hand over to Robert Mugabe who retained executive authority whilst Morgan was satisfied with a useless Prime Minister's post. Joice Mujuru never condemned the violence and she benefitted from the killings by remaining Vice President beyond her legal mandate of 31 March 2008.
By entering into a pact with Joyce Mujuru, Morgan Tsvangirai has sold out the people's struggle and betrayed thousands of his supporters who suffered many things at the hands of ZANU PF, then Joyce's party. By joining hands with Mujuru Morgan has abdicated from principle. It is safe to conclude we no longer have an opposition in Zimbabwe.
Furthermore, what value would Joice Mujuru possibly add to the coalition, let alone the struggle for democracy in Zimbabwe. Her perceived strength and influence is more of an assumption than fact. On the ground, it even appears, she has none. Just recently, she participated in the Bikita by-election and she was trounced heavily, meaning she has failed to use whatever knowledge she is supposed to have of ZANU PF rigging antics to her advantage.
Her erstwhile colleague Kudakwashe Bhasikiti chickened out of Mwenezi by election citing intimidation. This is the same path the MDC-T has travelled. We know this already. It illustrates that NPP are probably no more than inspired novices. I don't know if they have something new to unleash in 2018 but so far the MDCT is much stronger and better without Joice Mujuru.
MDC-T does not need an electoral pact with compromised parties to win elections. MDC-T has won elections since 2000 but denied by the military from taking power. Coalition talks presuppose that ZANU Pf has a superior mass support - which is a lie.
The strategy we need is how to create an even electoral field. How do we protect rural villagers from state terror during election time? How do we protect the people's vote in the event of an unlikely MDC-T victory? I don't see how Joyce answers to these. She has remained very loyal to Mugabe and she avoids mentioning him by name in her public speeches. She recently said she has no information on how the 2013 election was rigged.
She brings nothing to the table. No gains. No advantages. No support. That to me, is an exercise in zero sum gains.
Farai Maguwu is a political analyst. Article appears on Khuluma Afrika.
Source - Farai Maguwu
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