Opinion / Columnist
Mangoma good enough to replace Tsvangirai as MDC-T President
07 Apr 2014 at 15:38hrs | Views
A close analysis of what is happening in the MDC-T shows a party sinking into a political dustbin as Morgan Tsvangirai, its current leader, clings onto power.
Tsvangirai, who has perfected the art of purging those against his leadership, thinks that he is the MDC-T, and no one else can lead this party.
Tsvangirai has got a problem of failing to appreciate that the MDC-T is the people's party formed to safeguard the interests of the majority, not a few individuals like what he is doing.
On the other hand, those calling for the leadership renewal in MDC-T, with the exception of Elton Mangoma, are failing to be open to Tsvangirai so that they tell him to go and pass on the baton to someone else.
With Tsvangirai at the helm of the party that has failed to dislodge Zanu-PF from power, and the only person who could do that is Elton Mangoma, the deputy treasurer-general, who was dubiously suspended by this party for coming up with a suggestion that Tsvangirai steps down and pass on the baton to another person.
Those calling for leadership renewal in the MDC-T need to be open and tell Tsvangirai that his time as MDC-T leader has elapsed.
They should openly tell him he is no longer fit to be the MDC-T leader as he was drubbed by President Robert Mugabe, consecutively in three elections that have been held ever since the formation of the opposition party.
In all those elections, Tsvangirai got a massive hiding from the supercharged Gushungo, hence a new leader for the MDC-T in the form of Mangoma could dislodge Zanu-PF.
Some people may think that Mangoma is not suitable to lead MDC-T, arguing that Tsvangirai has grassroots support as some would want to make us believe.
But if Tsvangirai has the grassroots support, why has he failed to dislodge Zanu-PF from power when the odds were in favour of him since the time he entered into the political fray? Tsvangirai has failed to lead the MDC-T party into the "promised land" hence his time to pass on the baton is now ripe. With Tsvangirai still clinging onto power, the MDC-T would never lead this country.
In actual fact, those calling for the leadership renewal are justified considering the MDC-T lost quite a considerable number of parliamentary seats to Zanu-PF in the July 31 2013 harmonised election.
The MDC-T had more parliamentary seats than Zanu-PF after the 2008 elections but lost parliamentary seats to Zanu-PF as a result of Tsvangirai̛s "open-zip" policy that has destroyed his personality resulting in him losing respect from the electorate.
Now with Mangoma coming up with a brilliant idea of trying to revive the MDC-T fortunes through leadership renewal, the true supporters of the MDC-T should come out guns blazing to support this idea.
Mangoma has shown people in this country he is capable of being the leader of the MDC-T by openly suggesting the party needs new brooms and that alone, has shown he has the MDC-T at heart. The bootlicking syndrome which has been characteristic of those supporting Tsvangirai to stay put, despite his blunders, would not take the party anywhere.
Those are the people having links with Zanu-PF and they know that once the political grand plan of Tsvangirai is destroyed, they would rush to Zanu-PF and start singing, "Tadzoka kumusha."
It is clear Tsvangirai has failed and the only good thing for him to do is to give a chance to people like Mangoma to lead the party.
Tsvangirai, as the founder leader of the MDC-T, should only be given an advisory role which he can execute while retiring at his government built-house in Highlands.
Mangoma, who was one of the MDC-T negotiators and managed to make sure that Tsvangirai became the Prime Minister of Zimbabwe through a Government of National Unity (GNU), should not let his leadership qualities put to doubt.
He has shown the leadership qualities in him as a negotiator with Tendai Biti as the two managed to convince the diehard negotiators of Zanu-PF to allow the GNU to be formed. Such a move works in Mangoma's favour, as a good leader who can also bring members of MDC formations together the same way he managed to make the country form the GNU with his counterpart negotiators.
For the record, Mangoma is a man who managed to safeguard the finances of the MDC-T as deputy treasurer without problems when Roy Pachedu Bennett, the MDC-T treasurer-general left the country to live in exile.
During his tenure, Mangoma made sure the MDC-T finances were intact and that the party remained viable despite the hyperinflationary environment which eroded most people's savings in the country.
The MDC-T has remained an active and vibrant party during that time. Mangoma made sure that finances were available to make sure that the MDC-T fielded all its candidates of choice in 2008 and 2013 parliamentary elections. The gap left behind by Bennett when he left was not felt as Mangoma made sure that everything was under control.
So, if Mangoma managed to save the MDC-T party from financial doldrums as deputy treasurer-general, what would make him fail to serve the MDC-T from another Zanu-PF drubbing in 2018, standing as the president of the party?
It only needs those with the MDC-T at heart to appreciate that leadership renewal in the MDC-T is the only way that could save the party from its political demise. Mangoma has shown that he is a man good enough to lead the party.
His courage to tell Tsvangirai the party was losing support because of his refusal to
give others chance to lead the party, shows that he is strong enough to take on Zanu-PF by its horns.
Mangoma is therefore strong enough to lead the MDC-T and win presidential elections planned for 2018.
Mangoma's leadership qualities are not questionable as he presided over the Energy ministry at a time when the country was having economic difficulties. Although the Zesa Holdings was under difficulty as it was failing to service its international debts in Mozambique and Democratic Republic of Congo, Mangoma managed to make sure that the country was not switched off.
He made sure the country remained with enough electricity supply it was getting from those two countries.
If Mangoma managed to make sure the country was not switched off at the time when he was just a minister, what would stop him from leading MDC-T and stop Zanu-PF from winning the 2018 elections?
Only those with vision in MDC-T could make sure that the issue of leadership renewal being fronted by Mangoma, Biti and Elias Mudzuri should be taken seriously so the MDC-T ship does not sink into deep waters again, come 2018
As such, people like Mudzuri, the former MDC-T organising secretary and now the Warren Park legislator, as well as Biti, the secretary-general of the party, should always be with Mangoma and help him to fight the war of leadership renewal in the MDC-T if they are to save the party from a Zanu-PF torpedo in 2018.
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Hanyani is a Harare -based political and social commentator who can be reached through mhanyani@ yahoo.com
Tsvangirai, who has perfected the art of purging those against his leadership, thinks that he is the MDC-T, and no one else can lead this party.
Tsvangirai has got a problem of failing to appreciate that the MDC-T is the people's party formed to safeguard the interests of the majority, not a few individuals like what he is doing.
On the other hand, those calling for the leadership renewal in MDC-T, with the exception of Elton Mangoma, are failing to be open to Tsvangirai so that they tell him to go and pass on the baton to someone else.
With Tsvangirai at the helm of the party that has failed to dislodge Zanu-PF from power, and the only person who could do that is Elton Mangoma, the deputy treasurer-general, who was dubiously suspended by this party for coming up with a suggestion that Tsvangirai steps down and pass on the baton to another person.
Those calling for leadership renewal in the MDC-T need to be open and tell Tsvangirai that his time as MDC-T leader has elapsed.
They should openly tell him he is no longer fit to be the MDC-T leader as he was drubbed by President Robert Mugabe, consecutively in three elections that have been held ever since the formation of the opposition party.
In all those elections, Tsvangirai got a massive hiding from the supercharged Gushungo, hence a new leader for the MDC-T in the form of Mangoma could dislodge Zanu-PF.
Some people may think that Mangoma is not suitable to lead MDC-T, arguing that Tsvangirai has grassroots support as some would want to make us believe.
But if Tsvangirai has the grassroots support, why has he failed to dislodge Zanu-PF from power when the odds were in favour of him since the time he entered into the political fray? Tsvangirai has failed to lead the MDC-T party into the "promised land" hence his time to pass on the baton is now ripe. With Tsvangirai still clinging onto power, the MDC-T would never lead this country.
In actual fact, those calling for the leadership renewal are justified considering the MDC-T lost quite a considerable number of parliamentary seats to Zanu-PF in the July 31 2013 harmonised election.
The MDC-T had more parliamentary seats than Zanu-PF after the 2008 elections but lost parliamentary seats to Zanu-PF as a result of Tsvangirai̛s "open-zip" policy that has destroyed his personality resulting in him losing respect from the electorate.
Now with Mangoma coming up with a brilliant idea of trying to revive the MDC-T fortunes through leadership renewal, the true supporters of the MDC-T should come out guns blazing to support this idea.
Mangoma has shown people in this country he is capable of being the leader of the MDC-T by openly suggesting the party needs new brooms and that alone, has shown he has the MDC-T at heart. The bootlicking syndrome which has been characteristic of those supporting Tsvangirai to stay put, despite his blunders, would not take the party anywhere.
Those are the people having links with Zanu-PF and they know that once the political grand plan of Tsvangirai is destroyed, they would rush to Zanu-PF and start singing, "Tadzoka kumusha."
It is clear Tsvangirai has failed and the only good thing for him to do is to give a chance to people like Mangoma to lead the party.
Tsvangirai, as the founder leader of the MDC-T, should only be given an advisory role which he can execute while retiring at his government built-house in Highlands.
Mangoma, who was one of the MDC-T negotiators and managed to make sure that Tsvangirai became the Prime Minister of Zimbabwe through a Government of National Unity (GNU), should not let his leadership qualities put to doubt.
He has shown the leadership qualities in him as a negotiator with Tendai Biti as the two managed to convince the diehard negotiators of Zanu-PF to allow the GNU to be formed. Such a move works in Mangoma's favour, as a good leader who can also bring members of MDC formations together the same way he managed to make the country form the GNU with his counterpart negotiators.
For the record, Mangoma is a man who managed to safeguard the finances of the MDC-T as deputy treasurer without problems when Roy Pachedu Bennett, the MDC-T treasurer-general left the country to live in exile.
During his tenure, Mangoma made sure the MDC-T finances were intact and that the party remained viable despite the hyperinflationary environment which eroded most people's savings in the country.
The MDC-T has remained an active and vibrant party during that time. Mangoma made sure that finances were available to make sure that the MDC-T fielded all its candidates of choice in 2008 and 2013 parliamentary elections. The gap left behind by Bennett when he left was not felt as Mangoma made sure that everything was under control.
So, if Mangoma managed to save the MDC-T party from financial doldrums as deputy treasurer-general, what would make him fail to serve the MDC-T from another Zanu-PF drubbing in 2018, standing as the president of the party?
It only needs those with the MDC-T at heart to appreciate that leadership renewal in the MDC-T is the only way that could save the party from its political demise. Mangoma has shown that he is a man good enough to lead the party.
His courage to tell Tsvangirai the party was losing support because of his refusal to
give others chance to lead the party, shows that he is strong enough to take on Zanu-PF by its horns.
Mangoma is therefore strong enough to lead the MDC-T and win presidential elections planned for 2018.
Mangoma's leadership qualities are not questionable as he presided over the Energy ministry at a time when the country was having economic difficulties. Although the Zesa Holdings was under difficulty as it was failing to service its international debts in Mozambique and Democratic Republic of Congo, Mangoma managed to make sure that the country was not switched off.
He made sure the country remained with enough electricity supply it was getting from those two countries.
If Mangoma managed to make sure the country was not switched off at the time when he was just a minister, what would stop him from leading MDC-T and stop Zanu-PF from winning the 2018 elections?
Only those with vision in MDC-T could make sure that the issue of leadership renewal being fronted by Mangoma, Biti and Elias Mudzuri should be taken seriously so the MDC-T ship does not sink into deep waters again, come 2018
As such, people like Mudzuri, the former MDC-T organising secretary and now the Warren Park legislator, as well as Biti, the secretary-general of the party, should always be with Mangoma and help him to fight the war of leadership renewal in the MDC-T if they are to save the party from a Zanu-PF torpedo in 2018.
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Hanyani is a Harare -based political and social commentator who can be reached through mhanyani@ yahoo.com
Source - Mukachana Hanyani
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