'Mugabe regime will collapse' if MDC insist on reforms, argues Mandaza - they can never ever insist

"The opposition in Zimbabwe is an obliging and complicit opposition, particularly because of their experience in the GNU," said Ibbo Mandaza.

"What do I mean by obliging and complicit? If the opposition, in particular the MDC-T, wanted to collapse the Mugabe regime, all they had to do was walk out of Parliament tomorrow and furthermore declare, as Kenya's Raila Odinga has said, "no reforms, no elections", a position which they had taken a year or two ago."

I do agree with you there that the opposition is "obliging and complicit". However, I do not think government would collapse if the MDC-T MPs walked out of parliament demanding "No reform, no elections" as Raila Odinga has done in Kenya because the circumstances of the two countries are totally different. Whilst Odinga implemented the democratic reforms during the GNU Tsvangirai failed to get even one reform implemented.

Just before the 2013 elections, there was a lot of talk of MDC refusing to contest elections until reforms were implemented. Patrick Chinamasa called a press conference where many of Zimbabwe's foreign ambassadors were invited. He dismissed MDC's call for reforms by presenting one of his own; Zanu PF has never refused to implement any reforms that MDC had called for throughout the GNU, he should know because he was minister of justice and parliamentary affairs.

It is one thing to call for "No reform, no elections!" when you produce a list of reforms you want implemented. During the GNU MDC had the majority in parliament therefore could have had their proposed reforms passed in the house. They never proposed even one reform.

Even with the reduced MDC MPs after the July 2013 elections, still the party could have tabled the reforms it wanted. They never did. Ask any of the opposition politicians what reforms they want even today and none of them will give you a straight answer.

"So, in reality, they (MDC) are party to the situation we are experiencing right now in our country and; indeed, given the trajectory of the election process and the precedence we have seen during the last four elections, there is little belief that the outcome will be any different from what it was in the past," continued Mandaza.

Dr Mandaza is spot on there. Tsvangirai and company failed to get even one democratic reform implemented during the GNU, when it was in MDC's powers to implement the reform whilst President Mugabe had his hands tied by the Global Political Agreement (GPA) agreeing to the reforms. There is no doubt that MDC leaders sold-out on reforms during the GNU. President Mugabe pampered them silly with the trappings of high office; limos, generous salaries and allowances, a former white-owned farm and a $4 million Highlands mansion for Welshman Ncube and Morgan Tsvangirai respectively, etc. To show their gratitude, MDC leaders kicked democratic reforms into the tall grass.

After the July 2013 elections marking the end of the GPA and giving Zanu PF a two thirds majority in parliament, the task of getting any reforms implemented was a lot tougher. After the heavy defeat, it was clear that MDC leaders were deeply regretting their folly of failing to implement the reforms during the GNU. They even passed "No reform, no elections!" resolutions but that was a half-hearted affair to be soon forgotten.

The MDC's current position is to pay lip-service to calls for democratic reforms but continue contesting national elections regardless how flawed and illegal the process happens to be as long as there is a chance of winning a few gravy train seats. Since the 2008 elections, Zanu PF has learnt that it can continue to rig the vote and not risk the result being rejected as long as it allows the opposition to win a few seats.

So, if Zimbabweans want an end to rigged elections and free, fair and credible elections it is for them, not MDC much less Zanu PF, to demand the implementation of the democratic reforms BEFORE elections. It is insane to keep contesting flawed elections hoping against hope that Zanu PF will rig the vote but lose the elections!

Morgan Tsvangirai and his MDC friends are corrupt and breathtakingly incompetent, it is insolent of Dr Mandaza to compare Tsvangirai with Odinga. It was very foolish of us to have entrusted the task of bringing about the democratic changes the nation is dying for to Morgan Tsvangirai and his MDC friends and it is unforgivable to still continue to follow him, knowing his pathetic track record.