Chamboko, MDC-T mythical 'huge following' is as relevant as granny's lice to cattle count

"True, MDC-T is the biggest opposition movement today, nobody can contest that. It is also true that the MDC has a huge following," you said.

I contest that on two grounds:

 - MDC-T had the biggest following BEFORE the July 2013 elections but the party failed to turn the huge electoral support into electoral victory because the elections were rigged. MDC was warned that it must implement the democratic reforms to stop the vote rigging but the party leaders would not listen.

Since the rigged elections many Zimbabweans have deserted MDC; some to follow the break-away factions whilst others simply gave up on politics and life. MDC-T has been very careful to avoid by-elections or holding big rallies for fear a low public turnout would confirm the party's worst fears that the party's "huge public support" is a myth.

 -  MDC-T supporters are renowned for following like sheep to the slaughter and they showed this again and again throughout the GNU by their failure to get the party to implement even one reform, for example. Who can ever forget the sea-of-red of MDC-T supporter in the party colours all screaming "Chinja!" "Change!" at party rallies; they clearly had no clue what change they wanted because, if they did, they would have forced their leaders to implement at least one reform in the five years of the GNU.

The hard core of the MDC-T supporters, the mindless wildebeest herd, have remained with Tsvangirai even in the face of the mountain of evidence he is incompetent, corrupt and a sell-out. An electorate that is incapable of one coherent original thought and will not listen to reason are not an asset but a curse to democracy.

"I can confirm that the party has decided to shelve any coalition plans. We have carefully analysed the situation and realised that other opposition parties do not have much to give to the coalition in terms of following," said MDC-T Secretary, Douglas Mwonzora. This is more like the old granny in the folklore story who insist the lice on her back must be included in the count of family's animal wealth together with the cattle, sheep, chicken, etc.!

Tsvangirai and his MDC friends had their golden opportunity to change Zimbabwe for the better during the GNU; they wasted it because they are corrupt and incompetent, breathtakingly so too. The people of Zimbabwe must accept the political reality that incompetent leaders like Morgan Tsvangirai will never get the nation out of this hell-hole Zanu PF landed the nation into. Never ever!

I do not believe forming a coalition is the panacea to all our political problems. What would Tsvangirai, in a coalition, accomplish now which he failed to accomplish during the GNU, given he had the support of SADC and the world's support then?

"Grand coalitions no silver bullet for electoral victory over Zanu-PF," wrote Geoffrey Nyarota in an article last month. He was right then and he is right now, especially when the coalition is to be composed of recycled corrupt and incompetent leaders!

Zimbabweans must realize that it is not that the country is incapable of producing competent quality leaders who can lead us out of this hell; there are hundreds of thousands of such quality men and women out there. The problem is with the political system, the Zanu PF dictatorship, which has stifled all meaningful public debate and democratic competition. The system is so repressive only corrupt, incompetent and murderous thugs would thrive and it is hardly surprising then that they are the only ones occupying the political stage!

If Zimbabweans want competent and visionary leaders who can lead them out of this hell-on-earth then we must dismantle the Zanu PF dictatorship by implementing the democratic reforms and free the nation to think again. We have a corrupt and tyrannical regime which we have failed to remove from office because it rigs elections.

In short, to stop Zanu PF rigging the elections by making sure the elections are free, fair and credible; simple. All these talks of forming coalitions when all we need to do is implement the reforms are doing my head in. Just implement the reforms and stop coming up with all these rocket science solutions and reinventing the wheel!