Tsvangirai get this honest opinion and analysis to protect your legacy

First of all I would like to set the record straight that indeed Tsvangirai is the father of democracy and credit must be given to him for creating a democratic environment in this country. I remember around 1997, when it was tough even mention the name of Mugabe in the streets of Harare, I remember he fought so hard to bring a democratic dispensation in this country. However my worry is his legacy and political lifeline. What MDC T and other like-minded opposition needs to know is that for you to be strategic you need to take people's opinions and analysis seriously and be accommodative so that you can build a strong force against your perceived enemy. My worry is the moment you give an honest opinion and analysis, you are labelled a state agent or an infiltrator, which I still feel we need to accept constructive criticism.

Opposition is slowly sliding into political dustbin given the recent events in the opposition ranks. Tsvangirai has tried his best, no one is perfect though he has some short falls as a human being everyone is bound for mistakes but the truth is all is not well. Tamborinyoka is trying by means to make some cover ups but alas 2018 is crucial election which individuals should never play games with, given the strong credentials MDC had in the past. There are some people who perished in the party, and majority were displaced and Tsvangirai should go back to the drawing board and re- align their strategies.

Issue 1 - Your Health Is a National Matter

The recent down playing by Tamborinyoka and Gutu downplaying their boss is health is a blow to the party. Tsvangirai is not a small figure and such cover ups concerning your health is not doing any good to you, but rather creating fissures and internal frictions within and outside the party. You must give an honest report concerning your health. You have done your part and everyone can understand that this is a struggle, and at any given context we are all human beings with aspirations but due to human nature there are things that are beyond our control. The truth is Tsvangirai you are not well and it is high time you must hand over power to any of your deputies through a democratic elected congress. It would even be good if you administer such an event, and you will gain a lot of respect. Your alliance may risk losing popularity there by failing to achieve its own objectives there by putting blame on you. You risk destroying the legacy you built in a milestone. Why don't you consider retiring from active politics and give this role to a younger person in your party so that the struggle can be carried forward? Given the hectic campaign that will be ahead of us in 2018, I find it very difficult for you to meet people's demands given the status of your healthy. In any given election scenario one can go for more than 60 rallies and honestly are you able to pull along?

Issue 2 - the Alliance Is Still at Its Weakest Point

There is need for you to do some feasibility studies and come up with a substantive report to your council or national executive, you need to gather some input from all stakeholders, business community, academics, researchers and your internal advisors on how best you can come up with a strong alliance. From the onset, the numbers of your supporters are going down maybe probably because of infighting, internal rifts from your lieutenants and at the same time, people have apparently lost faith in the struggle. There is need for programmes that will energize the support base. Come up with initiatives, ideas and events that can shake of the dust in your party. The Khupe fiasco was not good for the party, whilst there could be some allegations that Khupe was given some substantial amount from undisclosed people, it is also certain to prove her wrong by accommodating her so that she can expose herself to the fullest.

Issue 3 - Voter Registration Is in Shambles

There is need to address the issue of voter's registration urgently. There is a deliberate ploy by ZEC officials to frustrate the urban potential voters by turning them away. It is very important to take note of that. My question is then how do you engange ZEC in your state? There is leadership crisis in your party, given the time frame you have been frequenting South Africa because of chemotherapy sessions, and I find it very difficult for you to accommodate these issues. The time frame for registration is too short. Can 90 days be enough to accommodate 15 million potential voters? That is very impossible. This is a deliberate ploy by ZEC working with a certain party to deny people's rights to vote especially in urban areas. My question with then be who is addressing these issues in your party?

Issue 4 - Resource Mobilization

I find it very difficult for your alliance to perform very well in 2018, given the context that your party has serious financial problems emanating from GNU period. There is donor fatigue in the opposition considering that there was a lot of abuse of funds towards 2013 which didn't go well with potential funders. I think you need to address the issue of funding urgently and also give an assurance that funds for the alliance will be well protected so that potential donors can move in to fund your party ahead of watershed 2018 elections.

Issue 5 - Potential Successor

You did a good thing to appoint two additional Vice Presidents of your party namely Nelson Chamisa and Elias Mudzuri for growth and team work purposes. This could be a good and calculative matrix, in the event that anything happens, amongst the three there could be one potential successor amongst them. I find this to be a more and broader idea, so that people can choose for themselves. However there is need to insert a clause in your constitution guided by the national council and the national executive on how people can choose a successor in the event that you have been incapacitated. However I find Chamisa and Mudzuri to be more diplomatic people who can handle national matters in a mature way, and then Khupe can do the additional work by deputising them. No matter what people can write about Chamisa, he is a very good young leader who has leadership qualities.

Issue 6 - Offering Balance and Checks

The truth of the matter is we have an insignificant opposition which is supposed to be offering checks and balances. The reason why Zanu PF internal fissures are at its peak it is because there is no more opposition to talk about. If there was a strong opposition as of the 2008, I tell you Zanu PF could have regrouped long back. There is need for to have a look at this one and address it. I lasted hearing you making a press conference addressing issues affecting the nation, and alternatives for 2018 if you form a Government after winning elections. People will then be questioning the sincerity in all this, several questions are coming up such as:

- Is Tsvangirai still capable of running the affairs of the opposition?

- Is he still in the opposition or he has been bought?

- Is the struggle fade or what?

- What has gone wrong with the opposition?

- Any need to support or vote in 2018?

- Who is in charge of opposition or alliance ahead of 2018?

Tinashe Eric Muzamhindo writes in his personal capacity as the Head of SIPAR TRUST (Southern Institute of Policy Analysis and Research) a local Think Tank that is responsible for Research Policy and Analysis. He is also an academic, researcher and political analyst based in Zambia and Zimbabwe. He can be contacted at southerninstitutepar@gmail.com.