'No one shall die on my journey to State House' - many have died already and for nothing, MDC sold-out

"No Zimbabwean must die because of politics. I receive calls from some supporters saying President Chamisa please give us the signal (to start street protests). I will never allow a single a person to die on my journey to State House," said Nelson Chamisa, speaking at the Church service of the late Patson Dzamara.

"Yes, you may call it what, but I don't believe that any human being is worth dying for politics. We must die so that we make change and development in our communities."

People die because of what we do and also because of what we fail to do just as there are sins commission and commission.

Many Zimbabweans have risked life and limb, over 500 were murdered by Zanu PF operatives and hundreds of thousands were beaten and/or raped in the 2008 elections alone, to elect MDC leaders into power. The understanding was that once in power MDC would bring about the democratic changes implied in the party's name and what the nation was dying for.

MDC has been on the political centre stage for the last 20 years, 5 of which in the GNU; and yet the party has failed to implement even one democratic reform. There is no doubt that Zimbabwe had its best opportunity ever during the 2008 to 2013 GNU to implement the democratic reforms which, implemented fully, would have ended the curse of rigged elections. MDC leaders failed to implement even one reform in 5 years! Not one!

It is no secret that Mugabe bribed the MDC leaders with the trappings of high office, the ministerial limos, the very generous salaries and allowances, the US$4 million for MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai, etc. etc. With their snouts in the feeding trough, MDC leaders forgot about implementing the reforms.

"Mazivanhu eMDC adzidza kudya anyerere!" (MDC leaders have learned to enjoy the gravy train good-life, they will not rock the boat!) Zanu PF cronies boasted, to answer why MDC leaders were not implementing the agreed raft of democratic reforms.

MDC has participated in the post 2008 GNU elections knowing that with no reforms in place Zanu PF would rig the elections and, worst of all, knowing that by participating the party would give the flawed process credibility and, by extension, give the result legitimacy. MDC leaders participated in the elections regardless out of greed, David Coltart admitted.

In his Book, The Struggle Continues 50 years of Tyranny in Zimbabwe, David Coltart, former MDC – Ncube Senator and Minister of Education in the 2008 GNU, gave details of how Zanu PF was flouting the electoral rules in the upcoming 2013 elections. It was clear the elections would not be free, fair and credible.

"The worst aspect for me about the failure to agree a coalition was that both MDCs couldn't now do the obvious – withdraw from the elections," wrote Senator Coltart.

"The electoral process was so flawed, so illegal, that the only logical step was to withdraw, which would compel SADC to hold Zanu PF to account. But such was the distrust between the MDC-T and MDC-N that neither could withdraw for fear that the other would remain in the elections, winning seats and giving the process credibility."

Chamisa dismissed the repeated advice not to participate in the July 2018 elections with contempt. "MDC has stringent measures to stop Zanu PF rigging the elections!" he claimed.

Zanu PF blatantly rigged the July 2018 elections and Chamisa et al have been complaining of the rigging the elections and threatening street protests.  Chamisa promised to give the signal for street protests to start. He is, conveniently, forgetting his arrogant claim to stop the rigging and, most significant of all, that MDC had given the Zanu PF legitimacy by participating in the election.

Of course, there is no rational in complaining much less protest over the legitimacy of a vote rigging regime which, out of incompetence and greed, one is, knowingly, keeping in power.

Ever since the rigged July 2018 elections, Chamisa promised to give the signal that was going to get Zimbabweans out on the street "to claim their stolen vote"! He has yet to give the signal because he does not want to risk people being killed.

Well Zimbabweans are still dying in street protests starting with the one on 1st August 2018  to protest the rigged elections. But a hell lot more Zimbabweans are dying as a consequence of another five years of this corrupt and tyrannical Zanu PF dictatorship.

Zanu PF's blundering incompetence in the handling of the corona virus pandemic means many, many more Zimbabweans are going to get the virus and many will die. Zimbabwe has one of the lowest per capita covid-19 tests at 1:110 as of end July compared to 1:20 for SA, for example. This means many people with the virus who, if tested should have gone into isolation, have been spreading the virus far and wide.

"I receive calls to give us the street protests signal. I will never allow a single a person to die on my journey to State House." Many have already risked life and limb to get you half way there and you betrayed them by failing to implement even one reform. The root cause of Zimbabwe's economic and political crisis is the failure to implement reforms and end the curse of rigged elections and bad governance.

Indeed, Zimbabweans must now open their eyes to the reality that the nation has already paid dearly in lost treasure, tragic human suffering and death to get MDC leaders this far into State House are the party has done nothing to inspire confidence and need for greater sacrifice. MDC leaders are corrupt and incompetent and would constitute a mediocre government, at best! It will be insane to join the street protest for that!