MDC Alliance call for 'streetifying people's anger' - real change will come from implementing reforms

"It is Zanu-PF itself that has become a super-spreader of perfidy and unbridled falsehoods as exemplified by its statements alleging growth in the country's economy and the cheap allegation that victims of State-sanctioned abductions are faking their own abductions," wrote Luke Tamborinyoka in Zimeye.

"The regime has now simply run amok. No one is safe as Mnangagwa's government takes perfect cover under the lockdown to repress citizens and to engage in a vain but violent attempt to decimate the people's project called the MDC Alliance."


There is no denying that Zanu-PF "has become a super-spreader of perfidy and unbridled falsehoods as exemplified by its statements alleging growth in the country's economy, etc., etc." But it that an excuse for you to compete with Zanu-PF in trading falsehood of your own.


Nelson Chamisa's seizure of power following Tsvangirai's death was against the MDC-T constitution and common sense and decency and his greed has comeback to haunt Chamisa and the party. Yes Zanu-PF has taken full advantage of the chaos born by Chamisa's ill-advised palace-coup but to suggest Zanu-PF is responsible for MDC's implosion is nonsense.


The reason why the nation cannot hold Zanu-PF to democratic account of the economic meltdown, the political oppression, the blundering incompetence in the handling of the corona virus, etc. is because Zanu-PF has a super majority in parliament.


Mnangagwa rigged the July 2018 elections to get the presidency and his parliamentary majority. By participating in the elections MDC A and the rest of the opposition opportunists gave the vote rigging Zanu-PF regime legitimacy. And worst of all Chamisa et al knew they were giving the illegal regime legitimacy.


"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 (2013) elections," wrote Senator Coltart in his book The Struggle Continues 50 years of Tyranny in Zimbabwe.


"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."


The three main MDC factions plus three other political parties did form a coalition, MDC Alliance, before the 2018 elections and still they participated in that year's plebiscite for the same reason in the 2013 elections - greed.


"MDC A has stringent measures to stop Zanu-PF rigging the (2018) elections!" boasted Chamisa. It was all "perfidy and unbridled falsehoods" as we know.


Zanu-PF has all but ignored all calls for democratic reforms, Mnangagwa is super confident all the MDC factions will participate in the 2023 elections with not even one token reform in place. The opposition's greed for the few gravy train to entice them to participate in flawed and illegal elections got the better of them in past it will do so again.


Lest we forget, the MDC leaders should have implemented the democratic reforms when they had the chance during the 2008 to 2013 GNU. They failed to get even one reform implemented. Not one!


It has been easier to get hen's teeth than to get MDC leaders to admit the sold-out big time during the GNU. The odd occasion they have said anything about the GNU years, it has been to blame SADC or Zanu-PF for the GNU's failure to dismantle the dictatorship.


"Streetifying the people's anger is now more of an imperative than it was a few months ago when Zimbabweans exhorted each other to peacefully and constitutionally express themselves in July 2020. It is now urgent, given the exigency of the moment, for citizens to streetify their genuine grievances in line with the dictates of the Constitution," argued Luke Tamborinyoka.


The most important thing for Zimbabweans to know here is that MDC leaders will not only implement any reforms, they are quite content to let Zanu-PF rig elections and stay in power as long as they get a share of the spoils of power.


So without implementing the reforms we are stuck with this Zanu-PF regime.


Street protests are useful in pressuring Zanu-PF to implement but without someone to implement the reforms the opportunity will be wasted just like so many other similar opportunities.


We need to replace the MDC leaders with the competent and focused men and women we can trusted to implement the reforms - MDC leaders have proven they are not to the task. To stage any street protests in the hope that MDC leaders will implement the reforms will be tantamount to going into war with the same misfiring and therefore utterly useless gun.


After 40 years of corrupt and tyrannical Zanu-PF misrule Zimbabweans must now fight for democratic change, the restoration of their freedoms, human rights and, indeed, their very survival and not just to vent their anger and frustration.