Real MDC challenges revealed

MDC member and social activist Patson Dzamara says the opposition MDC is rocked by challenges which has likened to a cancer eating away the party.

Dzamara says the two major problems that are bedeviling MDC are entitlement and ineptitude.

He further revealed that there are members in the party who are entitled, inept and power hungry but when the party needs then they are nowhere to be seen.

Dzamara's statements after there were reports of bloody infighting during Congresses that were held throughout the country over the weekend.

Read Dzamara's full statement below:

It's a fact that problems are never solved at the same level they were created. Yes, there are problems within the people's party and  they must be solved but remember the same mindset which created them cannot solve them.
That presents a strong case for a multi-pronged reset process earmarked at re-engineering the party. This of course, unsettles the entitled and inept bunch. To them, it's okay for everything to go wrong as long as they retain and keep their positions. It's unfortunate.

The twin cancers of entitlement and ineptitude are what landed us here. We must debunk them and proffer a way forward. To that end, I wish to give a case study based on my own experiences.

In the last quarter of 2018, the MDC Youth Assembly underwent a leadership re-engineering exercise by co-opting new members in its executive. This was a brilliant idea. However and in spite of that, some notable party youths with capacity were left out.

I remember jokingly asking one of the chief custodians of that process why I was left out seeing I am also a youth who is making his modest contributions towards the advancement of our party's agenda. The response I got showed me and will show you what is at play and wrong.

 Remember, I asked the question jokingly. I turn 33 this Saturday and my focus is definitely no-longer affixed to the Youth Assembly. There are many able youths in their 20's who must lead the Youth Assembly.

In case some are tempted to see this as a case of sour grapes, I am not even contesting for any position at the congress but I will continue serving the party in any way possible. One doesn't need a position or title to be effective and I have proved that.

Back to the response I got after I jokingly asked why I was left out. "You didn't LOBBY, that's why you were left out", he answered. At first I thought he was also joking but no he was dead serious. I had to lobby according to him.

Those close to me will attest to the fact that I am a straight shooter and I did exactly that with him after his stupid response. I told him he was delusional and myopic to suggest people are given responsibilities based on lobbying other than capacity and results.

His response was a manifestation of a cancer eating our party at all levels. There is an entitled but inept bunch that must be dealt with. That bunch scares away anyone with capacity. I later learnt that lobbying in that context means even paying money to be accommodated.

That is absolute nonsense and I will never pay or worship anybody to get a position or to be accommodated. If it means, I will die a mere card carrying member of the party, so be it. Unfortunately, not everyone can assume this posture, some participate in this tomfoolery.

Any 'lobbying' must be about capacity and results, nothing else. It must not be about who is paid what or who gets along with who. It is because of this retrogressive approach that we've incompetent people occupying strategic positions and at times imposition of candidates.

That same entitled, inept and power hungry bunch was nowhere to be found when they were needed most during the 2018 election. Some of us gave it our all, I was involved in media, adverts, branding, updates, the creation of the manifesto, online campaigning, E-rallies etc.

By the way, I didn't have and still don't have any position in the party (tongoshanda chete chete). That speaks of my capacity. It is silly for anyone to think people ought to lobby them or that they must be their ‘persons' in order for them to be entrusted with positions.

 Going forward, 3 things must be done 1. The entitlement mindset must be uprooted. 2. People must be entrusted with responsibilities based on capacity. 3. The party must be saved from power mongers and infiltrators who are bent on disrupting the people's movement. Ndatenda...