Tsvangirai should join coalition at own peril

There was much hullabaloo in the past weeks over the issue of a grand coalition of opposition parties. Political analysts and most opposition politicians were riding behind the idea that MDC-T leader Morgan Tsvangirai should coalesce with the former Vice President's party, Zimbabwe People First and other little known opposition parties ahead of the next harmonized elections.

However, the author of this article strongly refute with due contempt the notion of forming a coalition. Tsvangirai has been in the opposition politics since 1999, and thus seventeen (17) good solid years. The man is now a veteran in the opposition politics and hence he should refuse to be used by joining hands with these novice opposition parties.

For instance, Joice Mujuru is a new comer (mafikizolo) in opposition politics who still needs to learn what opposition politics is like from opposition gurus like Mr Tsvangirai. Honestly, if Tsvangirai decides to merge with these little recognized political parties then he will be ruining his political career.  

Truth be told, the more Tsvangirai's party is politically compromised by negotiations from other little opposition parties the more it becomes side-tracked from its mandate. MDC-T has been firm as a standalone party; hence it should not risk losing next elections by joining hands with other opposition parties.

Coalescing with minor opposition parties can be the beginning of the end for the Tsvangirai and his party. It is quite correct to say coalitions are unstable, weak and fractious as proved by the MDC itself in its original formation. Tsvangirai should avoid joining other useless opposition parties, let alone being a victim of those coalitions.

Normally, a coalition is better known as a home of squabbles. Mostly the misunderstandings that will take place in such a coalition will force the followers to take sides. Every political leader has his/her weaknesses and these become more pronounced in struggle for power which often characterize these coalitions. So Tsvangirai should not risk disappointing his followers by being party of a doomed union.

When coalescing, opposition parties should consider number of followers. As it stands, Tsvangirai has the largest number of followers in the opposition political field. The demonstration that Tsvangirai recently held in Harare is a clear yardstick to show that he is above the rest in opposition arena, hence the party's decision to moot going it alone stance.

A coalition of all the colours of the rainbow can never work by any chance. Mujuru may think that since she was a former Vice President, she has all the powers to lead the coalition. The fact that there are unbridgeable ideologies differences between Tsvangirai and his opposition rivals is a clear-cut indication that they will never work together. If Tsvangirai wishes to win future elections, he has to stand alone as an opposition candidate.

For Tsvangirai's own information, the path to a successful coalition has never been smooth but a rocky one. Generally the journey is marked with a step forward and two steps backwards. Competition among coalition members is one of the barriers to a successive coalition. All the party leaders will need recognition hence; each person will come with his/her ideas which he/she thinks are better than others. This will cause endless battles among coalition members. Moreover, power will not be distributed equally among the coalition members which becomes its undoing.

Tsvangirai should be reminded that coalitions do not last forever due to misunderstandings among coalition members. It's better for MDC-T to contest alone than to be part of a coalition that can be dissolved easily. So the best way that MDC-T can do to win any future elections is to avoid alliance with little known political parties which will only serve to drag it down into oblivion.

Forewarned is forearmed Mr Tsvangirai.
Be part of the coalition at your own peril.