Opinion / Columnist
'1978 Smith-Muzorewa show has no political capital, it flopped' - 2008 GNU Tsvangirai had 73% vote capital, it flopped too
11 Feb 2021 at 05:14hrs | Views
MDC A is dismissing Douglas Mwonzora's call for national political dialogue, involving MDC-T, MDC A and Zanu PF as the leading player, as a waste of time.
"Well, you have no dispute with Zanu-PF that requires anything that can be sensibly called national dialogue," Fadzayi Mahere, MDC A spokesperson counted.
"You're in constant communication with Zanu-PF as you plot to usurp the will of the people. So what dialogue do you now seek?
"How does a puppet dialogue with its puppet master."
This is just a nonsensical argument comparable to the garbage we have often heard from former US President Donald Trump's lawyers!
Mwonzora, Mudzuri and many members now in the Mwonzora led MDC-T factions were in the MDC A camp together with Chamisa, Biti, etc. right up to the March 2020 Supreme Court ruling confirmed an earlier High Court ruling that Chamisa's seizure of the party's leadership following Morgan Tsvangirai's death was illegal.
If the purpose of the national dialogue is to resolve the Mnangagwa legitimacy then Mwonzora and company have as much right to a meaningful say in the matter as Chamisa, Biti and all those who have remained in MDC A. The decision to challenge presidential result and the Constitutional Court ruling declaring Mnangagwa the winner was made by MDC A members way before the March 2020 split.
Besides, the legitimacy question would have never even arisen is MDC leaders, from both MDC A and MDC-T faction divide, had implemented the democratic reforms, especially during the 2008 to 2013 GNU when they had the golden opportunity to do so. And, as if selling out on reforms was not bad enough, they all participating in the flawed and illegal July 2018 elections KNOWING fully well that doing so would give Zanu PF legitimacy!
"The worst aspect for me about the failure to agree a coalition was that both MDCs couldn't now do the obvious – withdraw from the (2013) elections," wrote David Coltart, MDC A Treasurer General, in his book, The Struggle Continues 50 years of Tyranny in Zimbabwe.
"The electoral process was so flawed, so illegal, that the only logical step was to withdraw, which would compel SADC to hold Zanu PF to account. But such was the distrust between the MDC-T and MDC-N that neither could withdraw for fear that the other would remain in the elections, winning seats and giving the process credibility."
The MDC A was the coalition Coltart said was missing before the 2013 elections. As we know, they still failed to "do the obvious - withdraw from the 2018 elections"!
Of course, it is political opportunism and grandstanding on the part of Nelson Chamisa to be wittering about Mnangagwa's "lack of legitimacy" when he knew MDC A's participation in the flawed election would give Zanu PF legitimacy.
"MDC A has stringent measures to stop Zanu PF rigging the elections!" boasted Nelson Chamisa, before the 2018 elections.
The world is sick and tired of politicians who participate in flawed election processes, claiming they can win rigged elections, only to complain afterwards of "stolen elections."
"Senator Mwonzora, for dialogue to work, the parties involved must have genuine political capital," chipped in Alex Magaisa, Morgan Tsvangirai's Chief Legal Advisor during the 2008 to 2013 GNU.
"That's why Lancaster House worked in 1979 while the Smith-Muzorewa show in 1978 flopped. Lancaster was genuine, while the Internal Settlement was Smith's marionette show."
Well Morgan Tsvangirai certainly had "political capital" going into the 2008 to 2013 GNU because he had 73% of the popular vote in the March 2008 vote, according to Robert Mugabe's Freudian slip.
The primary task of the 2008 GNU was to implement the raft of democratic reforms designed to stop the blatant cheating that enabled Zanu PF to whittle down Tsvangirai's 73% to 47% to force the run-off. And to end the wanton violence to punish the voters for rejecting Mugabe and Zanu PF in the early vote. Mugabe had 84% of the vote in the run-off.
As we know, Tsvangirai and his MDC friends failed to implement even one reform in 5 years of the GNU. Mugabe was able to bribe the MDC leaders, including the Chief Legal Advisor, with the trappings of high office and, with their snouts in the feeding trough, they completely forgot about the reforms.
"Well, you have no dispute with Zanu-PF that requires anything that can be sensibly called national dialogue," Fadzayi Mahere, MDC A spokesperson counted.
"You're in constant communication with Zanu-PF as you plot to usurp the will of the people. So what dialogue do you now seek?
"How does a puppet dialogue with its puppet master."
This is just a nonsensical argument comparable to the garbage we have often heard from former US President Donald Trump's lawyers!
Mwonzora, Mudzuri and many members now in the Mwonzora led MDC-T factions were in the MDC A camp together with Chamisa, Biti, etc. right up to the March 2020 Supreme Court ruling confirmed an earlier High Court ruling that Chamisa's seizure of the party's leadership following Morgan Tsvangirai's death was illegal.
If the purpose of the national dialogue is to resolve the Mnangagwa legitimacy then Mwonzora and company have as much right to a meaningful say in the matter as Chamisa, Biti and all those who have remained in MDC A. The decision to challenge presidential result and the Constitutional Court ruling declaring Mnangagwa the winner was made by MDC A members way before the March 2020 split.
Besides, the legitimacy question would have never even arisen is MDC leaders, from both MDC A and MDC-T faction divide, had implemented the democratic reforms, especially during the 2008 to 2013 GNU when they had the golden opportunity to do so. And, as if selling out on reforms was not bad enough, they all participating in the flawed and illegal July 2018 elections KNOWING fully well that doing so would give Zanu PF legitimacy!
"The worst aspect for me about the failure to agree a coalition was that both MDCs couldn't now do the obvious – withdraw from the (2013) elections," wrote David Coltart, MDC A Treasurer General, in his book, The Struggle Continues 50 years of Tyranny in Zimbabwe.
"The electoral process was so flawed, so illegal, that the only logical step was to withdraw, which would compel SADC to hold Zanu PF to account. But such was the distrust between the MDC-T and MDC-N that neither could withdraw for fear that the other would remain in the elections, winning seats and giving the process credibility."
The MDC A was the coalition Coltart said was missing before the 2013 elections. As we know, they still failed to "do the obvious - withdraw from the 2018 elections"!
Of course, it is political opportunism and grandstanding on the part of Nelson Chamisa to be wittering about Mnangagwa's "lack of legitimacy" when he knew MDC A's participation in the flawed election would give Zanu PF legitimacy.
"MDC A has stringent measures to stop Zanu PF rigging the elections!" boasted Nelson Chamisa, before the 2018 elections.
The world is sick and tired of politicians who participate in flawed election processes, claiming they can win rigged elections, only to complain afterwards of "stolen elections."
"Senator Mwonzora, for dialogue to work, the parties involved must have genuine political capital," chipped in Alex Magaisa, Morgan Tsvangirai's Chief Legal Advisor during the 2008 to 2013 GNU.
"That's why Lancaster House worked in 1979 while the Smith-Muzorewa show in 1978 flopped. Lancaster was genuine, while the Internal Settlement was Smith's marionette show."
Well Morgan Tsvangirai certainly had "political capital" going into the 2008 to 2013 GNU because he had 73% of the popular vote in the March 2008 vote, according to Robert Mugabe's Freudian slip.
The primary task of the 2008 GNU was to implement the raft of democratic reforms designed to stop the blatant cheating that enabled Zanu PF to whittle down Tsvangirai's 73% to 47% to force the run-off. And to end the wanton violence to punish the voters for rejecting Mugabe and Zanu PF in the early vote. Mugabe had 84% of the vote in the run-off.
As we know, Tsvangirai and his MDC friends failed to implement even one reform in 5 years of the GNU. Mugabe was able to bribe the MDC leaders, including the Chief Legal Advisor, with the trappings of high office and, with their snouts in the feeding trough, they completely forgot about the reforms.
Source - zimbabwelight.blogspot.com
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