Opinion / Columnist
Opposition misreading political mood
19 Dec 2017 at 11:58hrs | Views
Recently, Human Rights Watch (HRW) and representatives of the MDC Alliance - Tendai Biti and Nelson Chamisa - were in the United States of America as part of an invitation to discuss the fall of former president Robert Mugabe.
The discussion included prospects of holding credible elections in Zimbabwe after the military intervention and the presence of soldiers on the streets.
HRW director for southern Africa Dewa Mavhinga and Biti testified before the United States Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on Africa and Global Health policy.
Their testimonies triggered a public backlash as there were seen as undermining President Emmerson Mnangagwa's government and his own commitment to making sweeping electoral reforms before the 2018 elections are held.
What infuriated most Zimbabweans was the recommendation to the US government to maintain sanctions against Zimbabwe until Mnangagwa's administration had instituted democratic and electoral reforms as demanded by the opposition and local civic society organisations.
While we hold no brief for Mnangagwa and his administration, the MDC and rights group, appear to have misread the current political mood in the country.
The majority of ordinary Zimbabweans is concerned by bread and butter issues and would want to see if Mnangagwa can depart from Mugabe's previous ruinous polices and improve livelihoods.
No well-meaning Zimbabwean would want to hear about sanctions especially at a time there is hope that the departure of Mugabe could lead to a new beginning for the suffering lot. Rights groups and the MDC appear to be driven by self interests to the detriment of the ordinary citizens considering that they decided to arrive at the conclusion of having the US maintain sanctions without having presented their demands to Mnangagwa's government.
And considering that Mnangagwa and his government have been in office for less than a month, the actions of the MDC and the rights group expose lack of serious strategy needed by the opposition to conjure up a new narrative.
Since the inauguration of Mnangagwa as president and several policy pronouncements by his government - including many bright spots in the proposed 2018 National Budget - there has not been any real or meaningful intervention by the opposition other than claims government cloned its blueprints.
Where Zimbabwe stands today needs a new thrust by politicians - the MDC included - to chart a new beginning. The sanctions mantra, whether for or against, does not work anymore because the biggest story right now is that of bread and better issues.
The discussion included prospects of holding credible elections in Zimbabwe after the military intervention and the presence of soldiers on the streets.
HRW director for southern Africa Dewa Mavhinga and Biti testified before the United States Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on Africa and Global Health policy.
Their testimonies triggered a public backlash as there were seen as undermining President Emmerson Mnangagwa's government and his own commitment to making sweeping electoral reforms before the 2018 elections are held.
What infuriated most Zimbabweans was the recommendation to the US government to maintain sanctions against Zimbabwe until Mnangagwa's administration had instituted democratic and electoral reforms as demanded by the opposition and local civic society organisations.
The majority of ordinary Zimbabweans is concerned by bread and butter issues and would want to see if Mnangagwa can depart from Mugabe's previous ruinous polices and improve livelihoods.
No well-meaning Zimbabwean would want to hear about sanctions especially at a time there is hope that the departure of Mugabe could lead to a new beginning for the suffering lot. Rights groups and the MDC appear to be driven by self interests to the detriment of the ordinary citizens considering that they decided to arrive at the conclusion of having the US maintain sanctions without having presented their demands to Mnangagwa's government.
And considering that Mnangagwa and his government have been in office for less than a month, the actions of the MDC and the rights group expose lack of serious strategy needed by the opposition to conjure up a new narrative.
Since the inauguration of Mnangagwa as president and several policy pronouncements by his government - including many bright spots in the proposed 2018 National Budget - there has not been any real or meaningful intervention by the opposition other than claims government cloned its blueprints.
Where Zimbabwe stands today needs a new thrust by politicians - the MDC included - to chart a new beginning. The sanctions mantra, whether for or against, does not work anymore because the biggest story right now is that of bread and better issues.
Source - DailyNews
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