Opinion / Columnist
MDC-T finally admit the 'folly'of ignoring SADC - easier to get hen's teeth than an admission they sold-out!
30 Apr 2015 at 18:00hrs | Views
In a letter welcoming SADC leaders to the recent SADC Heads of State meeting in Harare, Luke Tamborinyoka, Director of Communications in the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) and former Morgan Tsvangirai spokesman admitted that SADC heads had in deed warned MDC not to take part in the elections.
"Before the 2013 election, it is SADC that advised that reforms be implemented first and as a party; we have now realised the folly of our previous decisions to participate in the absence of the same," wrote Luke.
Other than Samuel Sipepa Nkomo, one of the MDC-renewal MPs who lost his seat after MDC-T recalled all the rebels' seats, who admitted that SADC and others had warned MDC about implementing the reforms and then not to take part in the 31 July 2013 elections without reforms and MDC had paid no heed to both warnings. Other MDC leaders had carefully avoided the subject although they were asked to comment countless times.
Tired of avoiding the subject of whether or not SADC heads had indeed advised MDC to implement the reforms, Tsvangirai finally addressed the matter and categorically denied that SADC head indeed advised his party.
"...I understand there are people who have been saying that the MDC-T participated in the 2013 elections against the advice of SADC, against the advice of some of the people in the country. Far from it," said the former Prime Minister.
"SADC did not advise us in any manner or form not to participate. In fact, they acquiesced with a push by Mugabe to have an election in spite of the absence of reforms."
Luke's admission confirms, if anyone ever doubted, that SADC heads had indeed advised MDC on the reforms and warned them against taking part in the elections without reforms. The MDC leaders had avoided the subject these last two years, with Tsvangirai even lying about what happened, because they wanted to avoid answering the next question, why.
So you were warned of the need to implement the reforms and you chose to ignore the warnings. You had five years to implement the reforms and failed to implement even one single reform. Why?
It is a rhetorical question because we all know the answer but one that must be asked for the record.
SADC headers knew the answer; they accused MDC leaders "of enjoying their stay in the GNU and forgot why they were there".
Mukanya Thomas Mapfumo was less diplomatic, he said Tsvangirai and the other MDC leaders had "sold-out"!
Of course the MDC leaders had sold-out. When they joined the GNU Mugabe created the biggest cabinet in the nation's history to accommodate as many MDC as his own Zanu PF cadres on the gravy train. Tsvangirai got the $4 million Highlands mansion as a bonus!
"Mazivanhu eMDC adzidza kudya anyerere!" (MDC people have learnt to enjoy gravy train privileges without rocking the boat!) Was the pithy remark one got from Mugabe loyalists boosted about why MDC leaders would never implement any of the all-important reforms!
It would be easier to get teeth from a hen than to get Tsvangirai and any of his colleagues to admit that they are indeed corrupt, breathtakingly incompetent and sell-outs. But that is to be expected.
What is important here is not make sure Zimbabweans know these individuals betrayed them in the most cruel and unforgivable way – by selling out. But even more significantly that electing these people again would be folly because, without a shadow of doubt, they will betray the people again!
"Our congress, the supreme decision-making body of the MDC, has now drawn a line in the sand and has taken the position not to participate in any election whatsoever, be it by-elections or the next general election, if far-reaching reforms are not implemented," wrote Luke.
MDC has already produced a list of eight reforms the party is demanding must be implemented for it to take part in future elections. Even if all the eight reforms were implemented, Zimbabwe's culture of political violence will continue unabated; none of the eight reforms will do anything to end this very serious problem!
Tsvangirai and other have already proven beyond that they are breathtakingly incompetent by their failure to comprehend the important of the reforms, for example. Even now, with the benefit of hindsight, their list of reform demands is wilfully inadequate.
Once a sell-out always a sell-out!
It is all very well for MDC leaders to finally admit "folly" of their decision not to implement the reforms it is the ordinary people of Zimbabwe in the first instance and those in the whole SADC region who have now to live with the consequences of their folly cum sell-out.
The Zimbabwe economy is in total meltdown, unemployment has soared to nauseating heights of 90%, 16% of our people are now living in abject poverty, millions of Zimbabweans have fled to other countries in the region and beyond cause tensions there, etc. And yet Mugabe still refuse to accept he has failed, indeed he still talks as if his corrupt and chaotic rule is the example all should follow!
The last GNU had offered the best chance to end the Zanu PF dictatorship peacefully if only MDC had implemented the agreed democratic reforms. Now it is not clear when the next opportunity will come. Still the people of Zimbabwe must now prepare themselves and make when that opportunity presents itself it is not wasted; this time ALL the democratic reforms must be implemented without failure.
By continuing to follow the same MDC, Zanu PF, Mavambo, etc leaders who have already proven beyond all doubt that they are corrupt, breathtakingly incompetent and/or sell-outs Zimbabweans are telling SADC that as a nation we are not serious about ending the Zanu PF dictatorship, not yet!
It would be foolish for Zimbabwe to elect corrupt and incompetent leaders ever again and an unforgivable act of sheer political folly to elect the same corrupt, incompetent and sell-out leaders again!
"Before the 2013 election, it is SADC that advised that reforms be implemented first and as a party; we have now realised the folly of our previous decisions to participate in the absence of the same," wrote Luke.
Other than Samuel Sipepa Nkomo, one of the MDC-renewal MPs who lost his seat after MDC-T recalled all the rebels' seats, who admitted that SADC and others had warned MDC about implementing the reforms and then not to take part in the 31 July 2013 elections without reforms and MDC had paid no heed to both warnings. Other MDC leaders had carefully avoided the subject although they were asked to comment countless times.
Tired of avoiding the subject of whether or not SADC heads had indeed advised MDC to implement the reforms, Tsvangirai finally addressed the matter and categorically denied that SADC head indeed advised his party.
"...I understand there are people who have been saying that the MDC-T participated in the 2013 elections against the advice of SADC, against the advice of some of the people in the country. Far from it," said the former Prime Minister.
"SADC did not advise us in any manner or form not to participate. In fact, they acquiesced with a push by Mugabe to have an election in spite of the absence of reforms."
Luke's admission confirms, if anyone ever doubted, that SADC heads had indeed advised MDC on the reforms and warned them against taking part in the elections without reforms. The MDC leaders had avoided the subject these last two years, with Tsvangirai even lying about what happened, because they wanted to avoid answering the next question, why.
So you were warned of the need to implement the reforms and you chose to ignore the warnings. You had five years to implement the reforms and failed to implement even one single reform. Why?
It is a rhetorical question because we all know the answer but one that must be asked for the record.
SADC headers knew the answer; they accused MDC leaders "of enjoying their stay in the GNU and forgot why they were there".
Mukanya Thomas Mapfumo was less diplomatic, he said Tsvangirai and the other MDC leaders had "sold-out"!
Of course the MDC leaders had sold-out. When they joined the GNU Mugabe created the biggest cabinet in the nation's history to accommodate as many MDC as his own Zanu PF cadres on the gravy train. Tsvangirai got the $4 million Highlands mansion as a bonus!
"Mazivanhu eMDC adzidza kudya anyerere!" (MDC people have learnt to enjoy gravy train privileges without rocking the boat!) Was the pithy remark one got from Mugabe loyalists boosted about why MDC leaders would never implement any of the all-important reforms!
It would be easier to get teeth from a hen than to get Tsvangirai and any of his colleagues to admit that they are indeed corrupt, breathtakingly incompetent and sell-outs. But that is to be expected.
What is important here is not make sure Zimbabweans know these individuals betrayed them in the most cruel and unforgivable way – by selling out. But even more significantly that electing these people again would be folly because, without a shadow of doubt, they will betray the people again!
"Our congress, the supreme decision-making body of the MDC, has now drawn a line in the sand and has taken the position not to participate in any election whatsoever, be it by-elections or the next general election, if far-reaching reforms are not implemented," wrote Luke.
MDC has already produced a list of eight reforms the party is demanding must be implemented for it to take part in future elections. Even if all the eight reforms were implemented, Zimbabwe's culture of political violence will continue unabated; none of the eight reforms will do anything to end this very serious problem!
Tsvangirai and other have already proven beyond that they are breathtakingly incompetent by their failure to comprehend the important of the reforms, for example. Even now, with the benefit of hindsight, their list of reform demands is wilfully inadequate.
Once a sell-out always a sell-out!
It is all very well for MDC leaders to finally admit "folly" of their decision not to implement the reforms it is the ordinary people of Zimbabwe in the first instance and those in the whole SADC region who have now to live with the consequences of their folly cum sell-out.
The Zimbabwe economy is in total meltdown, unemployment has soared to nauseating heights of 90%, 16% of our people are now living in abject poverty, millions of Zimbabweans have fled to other countries in the region and beyond cause tensions there, etc. And yet Mugabe still refuse to accept he has failed, indeed he still talks as if his corrupt and chaotic rule is the example all should follow!
The last GNU had offered the best chance to end the Zanu PF dictatorship peacefully if only MDC had implemented the agreed democratic reforms. Now it is not clear when the next opportunity will come. Still the people of Zimbabwe must now prepare themselves and make when that opportunity presents itself it is not wasted; this time ALL the democratic reforms must be implemented without failure.
By continuing to follow the same MDC, Zanu PF, Mavambo, etc leaders who have already proven beyond all doubt that they are corrupt, breathtakingly incompetent and/or sell-outs Zimbabweans are telling SADC that as a nation we are not serious about ending the Zanu PF dictatorship, not yet!
It would be foolish for Zimbabwe to elect corrupt and incompetent leaders ever again and an unforgivable act of sheer political folly to elect the same corrupt, incompetent and sell-out leaders again!
Source - Wilbert Mukori
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