MDC-T violence cross-examined

Succession wars rock MDC again, MDC Bulawayo violence hugely condemned, MDC intra party violence worrisome. Bloody clashes rock MDC T, MDC T succession violence and tribalism. These are some of the headlines among many that decorated newspapers following the thuggish and embarrassing bloody clashes that took place at Bulawayo MDC offices recently. Both the independent and state media are singing the same song condemning brute methods of settling disputes.

The violence that took place in Bulawayo recently is not simply a minor incident that can be taken lightly or treated as situational. It is one of many barbaric examples that characterises this party. A closer and objective analysis of the history of MDC T shows that this party is built on and its leaders thrive on violence. Series of violent events shows that they are not even accidental situations that could have gone out of hand. Instead, they are choreographed carefully and closely by the leaders who always and ultimately benefit out of it by maintaining their positions or win intra party positions. Violence was the water and fertiliser that watered, nurtured and nourished  Morgan Tsvangirai's power.

It is correct to assert that one of the main objectives of MDC was to take power illegally using violence against a constitutionally elected government. Addressing his supporters at Rufaro stadium in 2000 Morgan Tsvangirai was quoted saying, "what l want to tell Mugabe today is please go peacefully, and if you don't want to go peacefully, we will remove you violently!!" To some this was mere politicking but not at all, he literally meant it. This reckless statement sums up everything about MDC, Violence is its primary tool not only against its own members but also the constitutionally elected government and its legitimate institutions. Violence is the bedrock and DNA of MDC T and what is worrisome now is the mutation that has happened to it, it has now become tribal. The MDC leadership is not very stupid, don't be fooled deception, hypocrisy and cunningness is at its best. They are always the first to condemn their own instigated violence if they feel the methods have resulted in public disapproval or erstwhile human rights organisations they will shift the whole blame on Zanupf interference. It is typical of MDC that they don't want to take responsibility of their actions, they blame opponents and play politics even on their own misdeeds. Luke Tamborinyoka could even blame Zanupf for Tsvangirai's marriage wars and his sex crusade around the country.

A person who has followed the formation, development and the history of MDC party can now see it beyond the mask of non-violence. The events that took place in Bulawayo recently accords them the name "the party of violence."  There are innumerable examples of butcherly violence that dates as back as its formation. The violence we see today is simply its development and if unaddressed Zimbabwe must brace for chaos and barbarism. The EU diplomat His excellence Phillipe Van Damme have warned the MDC against losing credibility due to its use of violence against each other. He is quoted saying, " MDC must address its intra party violence or they could lose credibility." As the main sympathizers of the MDC, they seem to have given up on these political hoodlums whose too much love of power and prodigality lifestyle have hatched failure to secure power for them. The rhetoric that MDC's violence is incitement by zanupf has become too insipid and fake. Few examples will help one understand MDC beyond the frontage of democracy, non-violence and non-tolerance to corruption. Anyone who doesn't recognise this is either a political bigot, a simpleton with a feeble mind or a credulous who will never lend his hand in order to help truth to triumph.

The perpetrators of violence are not very far from the seat of power. Violence is ostensibly used to maintain power, from the look of things in the MDC it is directed to those who oppose leaders on opinions or those who threaten their maintenance of it. The MDC leaders who went into the inclusive government as the ordinary man left millionaires. A shocking list of Mr Tendai Biti's assets and companies that was exposed by his wife on divorce entanglements points to Mr Biti as an addict of cupidity and profligacy. It is easy to see who the agitators and organisers of terror are. The individuals or syndicates within a political body that benefit most from violence and terror that is applied on others are instigators of that it. Who will not blame Morgan Tsvangirai for Mangoma's cowardly ambush by MDC roughnecks for calling for his resignation?

People are not as pudden-headed as Mr Tsvangirai thought or as Nelson Chamisa thinks. Chamisa is a politician of his own class. He is eloquent in speech but very shallow in depth and policy. Perhaps one can forgive him because bankruptcy in policy is a political crisis at Harvest House itself. He resorts to absurd jokes and promises that usually plunges other reasonable party leaders in shame. He is a habitual liar of a first degree. At one point other alliance syndicatists had to apologise to the American Embassy and to the general public for what they called ranting when he was at it again, he claimed that the American Trump had promised him 15 billion dollars if he is elected to build the country they have punished with sanctions for close to 2 decades. Pastor Chamisa did not even did himself an honourable thing to apologise to the public or to the American government, he just became mum. United States of America is currently sitting on a 25 trillion dollar debt from the World Bank and Chamisa is ranting in a most controversial manner that can even cause political discredit to Trump administration that is expected to settle such a huge debt not to donate money to Chamisa's Zimbaabwe.

The attack on Thokhozani Khupe in Bulawayo in 2017 by the bused MDC youth from Harvest House is among the dramas that exposed Morgan Tsvangirai. The vice president was attacked and astonishingly a very senior member of the party utters a rather crude and criminal rhetoric typical of a tribalist of 18th century. He, Chalton Hwende blamed the victims of this senseless and needless violence for derailing the progress of the alliance and the direct contempt of the office of the president and the president himself. This resulted in his suspension from the party. MDC may be full of liars, corrupt and lavish business people but they are not stupid. I don't intent to underestimate their knavishness. A group of thugs is sent to terrorise the Bulawayo leadership into submission to an alliance which they are convinced was not going to do any good to Matebeleland and the party in general. It harassed and attacked the vice president physically using cowardly methods that can be directed to a woman. As expected and as usual Morgan Tsvangirai began another window dressing investigation in order to clean his name. Chalton Hwande is suspended from the party to be called again when the issue is no longer a headline. What stage-management of poor politics? What hypocrisy?

Elton Mangoma is another victim of  barbarity in the MDC. They ambushed him beat him up and tore his clothes leading to the subsequent split of the party. On the other hand Tendai Biti escaped this by a whisker leading to Mandel conference where he accused Morgan Tsvangirai of dictatorship, amoral behaviour, indecency, incapacity and a resolution to kick him out of the party was passed. Indeed several splits of MDC doesn't point to Morgan Tsvangirai as a leader.

Scrolling back the pages of history, in 2006 Trudy Stevenson is attacked among other three party members. Severely injured, they identified the thugs as MDC party youths from Mabvuku leading to another window dressing investigation that led to temporal dismissal of other elements from The party who had to be called back after few weeks .

Recently MDC leaders are attacked at a funeral of the party leader. Such comic and rather shameful power squabble is not African. A vice president is terrorised by the party youths with the intention of forcing her to relinquish power to Nelson Chamisa or die. A secretary general suffered the same fate. They were whisked away to a hide out in a thatched hut, a place where they could be safe from hoodlums who were simply fighting for Chamisa. As if it was not enough, there were attempts on the life of the two when the rapacious youth wanted to burn the hurt down. We have known a funeral as an event where people grieve with each other and consoling the family of the diseased. Contrary to this belief, we saw a golden opportunity for a certain faction of the MDC to terrorise and outplay another faction. Nelson Chamisa's love for power is simply legendary.

The physical attack of Thokhozani Khupe for the second time by the youths is another example of how choreographic this terror group is organised. Khupe's driver is injured and other ten people hospitalized. An old man is beaten up in the head several times by his own walking stick. A discovery Range Rover vehicle is vandalized. A body is soaked in blood lying lifeless without strength on the ground with stones around all over. Images of the scene shows a war zone. One cant believe that method like stoning still exists in this era and age of civilization.? However this is MDC for us.

There is a coterie of this gang that is reportedly stationed at Harvest House. It's duty is to harass those who have conflicting views to the leader. It is responsible for guarding the interests of the leader and its mandate is primarily for terrorism purposes. Just like the S.A. and the SS of Adolf Hitler which was ruthless and intolerant to any view contrary to the leader's. The Black Shirts of Mussolini is another typical example , they were the custodians and enforcers of the rhetoric, Mussolini is always right. They terrorised and killed for Mussolini. They could terrorise even his close associates if they oppose him. MDC is taking us there and there so fast. This is the people who refused Mudzuri entry into the Harvest House, this is the group that threatened to burn down a hut at a funeral in order to bring the final solution to the Khupe problem through elimination. This is the group that ambushed Trude Stevenson, Elton Mangoma, Tendai Biti among other examples.

These are some of the nameless terrorist and violent incidents that are recorded and so evident in the history of MDC. With the mutation of this violence into tribalism and generational entanglements who is safe.? This violence has proved to know no bounds. It is directed to women elderly and property. It is not situational rather it is a bedrock and the DNA of MDC T. Violence found Tsvangirai's power maintained it and it still exists, it is the blood and oxygen that gave it life. The spokesperson of the party threatened to quit the party due to its violent behaviour explicitly saying that he have witnessed violence several times in the party.

The final question is, Can Chamisa stop violence in the MDC.? NO he won't. Violence is serving his interests so well and violence is his creation. A witch will never cure a person's ailment, NEVER! The same way a mosquito can cure Malaria. Suppose these people gets power, are we safe? Will there be any opposition with the rowdy youths like theirs? Will there be discipline? Will there be democracy? MDC can no longer preach political hygiene, non violence, corruption, constitutionalism or democracy. It cannot espouse them all. Time have made Zimbabweans who are not too lazy to think see them beyond the mask of rule of law and democracy. They are extravagant greedy financial magnets whose love for power have reached heaven high.

I wish to conclude by the words of President Emmerson Mnangagwa, he says." Let there be peace, love, unity, tolerance and forgiveness. There is no reason for violence, there is no need for violence."

Behind us is Zimbabwe, in us, lives Zimbabwe and before us is Zimbabwe.!!!

Believe Chikomo is a political writer who have developed much interest in matters of governance.