MDC Alliance running scared, already making excuses for losing 2018 elections

Before any heavyweight boxing match you would hear some of the greatest athletes the world has ever seen, the likes of Mayweather; Ali and Tyson, pronouncing how they are going to trounce their opponents. One rarely hears these confident professionals giving excuses on how the other opponent has superior training equipment or accuses the other side of planning to buy-out the referee. Such behaviour is that of a scared and ill-prepared adversary, one who foresees an impending defeat and concocts a suitable explanation for his pending defeat.

The MDC Alliance has of late began a campaign to prepare the electorate for their impending election defeat by giving a number of flimsy excuses trying to explain how Zanu PF has an unfair advantage over them.
 
Just recently, the MDC-T Deputy Treasurer General, Chalton Hwende, was blowing his top on why the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) Chairperson, Justice Pricilla Chigumba, was seen in the company of the special advisor to President Emmerson Mnangagwa, Christopher Mutsvangwa, in Russia. Because of this Hwende alleges that Zanu PF is plotting to rig the elections with the aide of Justice Chigumba. Seriously, this is juvenile reasoning from people who have presidential ambitions.

These allegations are not only an insult on the integrity of Justice Chigumba but also a mockery of the Zimbabwean electorate's intelligence for assuming that they are shallow minded to make such a scandalous conclusions based on Hwende's insinuations.

To this writer's knowledge the two were part of the team that was invited by the Russian government to observe the just concluded elections which saw President Vladimir Putin win a fourth term in office. So how can it be sinister to see two counterparts sharing a conversation in a foreign country? The sinister one is the one making unfounded accusations. For what reason? One surely wonders.

The MDC Alliance has been on a crusade to discredit ZEC with little to no effect. They dismally failed to stop ZEC from leading the BVR process and tried by all means to have UNDP take the reins. However, they were left red faced when the UN organ supported Government in allowing ZEC to lead the process.
Such failed attempts have been aimed at creating the illusion that they are an underdog fighting an all-powerful and corrupt opponent in the form of Zanu PF. If they lose the elections in such a scenario it will be easier to get sympathise, as it will be the case of we told you so.

The new ZEC Chair has received praise from international partners like UNDP and the UN and other principals in the Alliance welcomed her appointment. Welshman Ncube, the MDC leader remarked that; "As the MDC, we welcome the new ZEC chairperson (Justice Chigumba) who is a distinguished lawyer and brings a wealth of experience as a judge. A lot is expected of her because she has a huge task of delivering credible, free and fair elections."

So for the Alliance to doubt her motives and professionalism just because she was seen talking to Mutsvangwa only shows how the Alliance if scouting for a scapegoat. The only logical conclusion would be to assume that the ill-fated grouping has observed that they are going to lose the 2018 election so painting the ZEC Chair as compromised would justify their humiliation at the hands of Zanu PF.
 
ZEC has gone through many transformative phases for the better, since President Mnangagwa was inaugurated. A new Chairperson who is universally accepted was appointed. The Chairperson has appeared before a Parliamentary Portfolio Committee and clarified issues of voter registration and ZEC staffing much to the satisfaction of the Committee.

They have addressed the issue of voter intimidation by seeking the assistance of the police in arresting those involved. ZEC has even enhanced voter education which made it clear that there was nothing to fear from those misleading them on the impact of them knowing one's registration serial number.

So for the MDC Alliance to claim that ZEC is compromised and will be manipulated in the upcoming elections is absurd and only shows how much they are not prepared and are simply looking for a scapegoat to explain away their shame after the looming electoral defeat in July or August 2018.