Opinion / Columnist
CCC fishing for coalition but will participate in 2023 no matter what for same reason - greed
17 Jan 2023 at 14:29hrs | Views
"At the outset I wish to affirm your Constitutional right to stand for President. My only questions, Sir, are: One - Do you realise that all you are going to do is divide those opposed to Zanu-PF, which benefits Zanu-PF and no one else? Two - Why not rather join and strengthen CCC?" asked David Coltart of Robert Chapman, leader of Democratic Union of Zimbabwe (DUZ).
The single most important question both Coltart and Chapman must answer is did the opposition lose past elections because the opposition vote was divided or was it because Zanu PF rigged the election?
In the March 2008; the only time Zimbabwe came close to holding free, fair and credible elections because SADC countries had forced Zanu PF to switch-off its vote rigging juggernaut; MDC garnered 73% of the votes. Zanu PF quickly switched the vote rigging machine back on and stopped ZEC announcing the results. The regime then spent the next six weeks recounting 5 million votes - whittling down Tsvangirai's 73% to 47%, enough to force a run-off.
During the run-off Zanu PF punished the people for rejecting Zanu PF in the March vote. "Zanu PF has declared war on the people!" said Tsvangirai as he announced his withdrawal from the race.
SADC leaders engineered the 2008 Global Political Agreement, forcing Zanu PF to agree to the need to implement democratic reforms designed to stop Zanu rigging future elections. The fact that not even one reform was implemented during the five years of the GNU was Coltart and his MDC friends' fault.
Tendai Biti and David Coltart have publicly admitted it is foolish participating in Zimbabwe's elections without first implementing the democratic reforms designed to turn off the Zanu PF vote rigging juggernaut.
"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," confessed 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."
So Coltart's excuse for participating in the 2013 elections was that the two MDC factions had "failed to agree a coalition" so that they would both boycott the elections - "the only logical step".
Well four of the main MDC factions plus three other opposition parties did agree to form the MDC Alliance before the 2018 elections, whose presidential candidate, Nelson Chamisa, garnered 42% and 60% of the presidential votes according to ZEC and Tendai Biti's parallel reckoning. A formidable opposition by all accounts. And yet, again there was no talk of boycotting the elections - the obvious thing since not even one token reform was implemented since 2013 elections.
MDC A leaders participated in the 2018 elections for the same reason they participated in the 2013 - greed.
Indeed, it was greed that had stopped them implementing even one reform during the GNU. "Mazivanhu eMDC adzidza kudya anyerere!" (MDC leaders have learned to enjoy the trappings of high office, they will not rock the boat!) boasted Zanu PF cronies when asked why MDC leaders were not implementing the reforms during the GNU.
Of course, David Coltart knows that Zanu PF is rigging the 2023 elections and that the opposition's participation will give Zanu PF legitimacy in return for a few gravy train seats. For his part, Robert Chapman and his DUZ friends too know Zanu is rigging the elections and by participating they will be giving Zanu PF legitimacy all for the sake of the few gravy train seats on offer as bait.
There is still time for CCC and DUZ to come to some coalition arrangement before 2023 elections. Even if they do, they will still participate in these flawed and illegal elections no matter what out of greed.
43 years of Zanu PF corrupt and tyrannical rule has left the country is economic ruins and political paralysis - given the country's many opposition leaders don't even have the common sense to see the sheer futility of participating in flawed elections to perpetuate the Zanu PF dictatorship.
What Zimbabwe needs are a few Zimbabweans with honest to admit Zanu PF is rigging the elections and the courage to denounce this flawed election process and denounce CCC and others for participating out of greed. Deny the electoral process and opposition political credibility and you deny Zanu PF political legitimacy.
If 2023 election fail to produce a legitimate government the country will need a new GNU similar to the one in 2008. The subtle difference is that this time a competent GNU must be appointed so that all the democratic reforms are fully implemented without failure.
The single most important question both Coltart and Chapman must answer is did the opposition lose past elections because the opposition vote was divided or was it because Zanu PF rigged the election?
In the March 2008; the only time Zimbabwe came close to holding free, fair and credible elections because SADC countries had forced Zanu PF to switch-off its vote rigging juggernaut; MDC garnered 73% of the votes. Zanu PF quickly switched the vote rigging machine back on and stopped ZEC announcing the results. The regime then spent the next six weeks recounting 5 million votes - whittling down Tsvangirai's 73% to 47%, enough to force a run-off.
During the run-off Zanu PF punished the people for rejecting Zanu PF in the March vote. "Zanu PF has declared war on the people!" said Tsvangirai as he announced his withdrawal from the race.
SADC leaders engineered the 2008 Global Political Agreement, forcing Zanu PF to agree to the need to implement democratic reforms designed to stop Zanu rigging future elections. The fact that not even one reform was implemented during the five years of the GNU was Coltart and his MDC friends' fault.
Tendai Biti and David Coltart have publicly admitted it is foolish participating in Zimbabwe's elections without first implementing the democratic reforms designed to turn off the Zanu PF vote rigging juggernaut.
"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," confessed 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."
So Coltart's excuse for participating in the 2013 elections was that the two MDC factions had "failed to agree a coalition" so that they would both boycott the elections - "the only logical step".
MDC A leaders participated in the 2018 elections for the same reason they participated in the 2013 - greed.
Indeed, it was greed that had stopped them implementing even one reform during the GNU. "Mazivanhu eMDC adzidza kudya anyerere!" (MDC leaders have learned to enjoy the trappings of high office, they will not rock the boat!) boasted Zanu PF cronies when asked why MDC leaders were not implementing the reforms during the GNU.
Of course, David Coltart knows that Zanu PF is rigging the 2023 elections and that the opposition's participation will give Zanu PF legitimacy in return for a few gravy train seats. For his part, Robert Chapman and his DUZ friends too know Zanu is rigging the elections and by participating they will be giving Zanu PF legitimacy all for the sake of the few gravy train seats on offer as bait.
There is still time for CCC and DUZ to come to some coalition arrangement before 2023 elections. Even if they do, they will still participate in these flawed and illegal elections no matter what out of greed.
43 years of Zanu PF corrupt and tyrannical rule has left the country is economic ruins and political paralysis - given the country's many opposition leaders don't even have the common sense to see the sheer futility of participating in flawed elections to perpetuate the Zanu PF dictatorship.
What Zimbabwe needs are a few Zimbabweans with honest to admit Zanu PF is rigging the elections and the courage to denounce this flawed election process and denounce CCC and others for participating out of greed. Deny the electoral process and opposition political credibility and you deny Zanu PF political legitimacy.
If 2023 election fail to produce a legitimate government the country will need a new GNU similar to the one in 2008. The subtle difference is that this time a competent GNU must be appointed so that all the democratic reforms are fully implemented without failure.
Source - zimbabwelight.blogspot.com
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