Opinion / Columnist
Biti, Tsvangirai, Mujuru in marriage of convenience
08 Sep 2016 at 18:21hrs | Views
The relationship between People's Democratic Party leader, Tendai Biti, Movement for Democratic Change leader, Morgan Tsvangirai and Zimbabwe People First leader, Joice Mujuru is a reflection of marriage of convenience by the three parties, and machination of the private media.
It is common knowledge that Tsvangirai and Biti have failed to work together long back. Tsvangirai's dictatorial tendencies forced Biti and allies to part ways with their form boss. It is surprising to hear that the two had mended their relations. Honestly, this relationship will never materialize by any chance. Reuniting Tsvangirai to Biti is just a forced marriage which most people believe will suffer growth.
Although Tsvangirai, Biti and Mujuru constitutes part of the opposition forces, their political background are totally different making it very difficult for the three to coalesce.
The very unfortunate thing of a union of political parties is that all the leaders of different parties would be craving for power. Who would want to be behind someone? The reason that forced Biti to call it quits with Tsvangirai is that he wanted power. Also, Mujuru was expelled from the ruling party because she wanted to unconstitutionally remove President Mugabe from power so that she will take over. This explains why the union of the three parties is just a fallacy.
Early this year, Tsvangirai mentioned at rally in Masvingo that his party was not interested in working with other opposition outfits. Additionally, Tsvangirai declared that his party was going fight the 2018 election battle as a stand-alone party. However, two months down the line, MDC-T made a u-turn on this decision and started calling for coalition with other opposition parties. Tsvangirai's inconsistencies in decision making depicts that he is confused. Biti and Mujuru should not bank their hopes on this opposition veteran. Remember there are close to fifteen (15) months before the 2018 harmonised elections, anything can happen within that period. Tsvangirai is a political chameleon who is capable of changing his political views depending on a situation that works in his favour. So Biti and Mujuru must risk being used by Tsvangirai and join him at their own peril.
Biti has exposed himself that he is not a presidential material. Recently, Biti endorsed Mai Mujuru as the opposition candidate for 2018. Will Tsvangirai buy such a decision since he was in the opposition politics for close to two decades? One really wonders if Tsvangirai will permit himself to be under the leadership of Mafikizilo.
Biti, in trying to reunite with Tsvangirai, invited him to the PDP's first anniversary celebrations which will be held in Bulawayo over the weekend. Biti is trying to find a better position where he can stay in the event that a coalition has been formed, hence pretending to be too good to both Tsvangirai and Mujuru.
A coalition of opposition parties is next to impossible especially in Zimbabwe and Africa as whole. Remember in Kenya, a coalition of opposition parties in Kenya, Coalition for Reforms and Democracy (CORD), crumbled soon after elections. It is worth noting that there were simmering supremacy battles in that CORD after Moses Wetangula launched his presidential bid. Most political analysts had even claimed and warned that the coalition will struggle to arrive at a presidential flag-bearer and this would be the end of it.
In the Zimbabwean context, the same is expected in the opposition politics. Marrying Tsvangirai to Mujuru and Biti has more demerits and less merits. Also, in coalitions each party member has his or her certain constraints, which often force him/her to ignore their partners' anti-democratic activities. Usually, party members deliberately try not to criticise their partners because if they do so, the union would become null and void.
Already, there are reports that most top officials in opposition parties under National Electoral Reform Agenda (NERA) are in fear of losing their positions in the event that a coalition of thirteen (13) parties is formed. As it stands, reports have it that MDC-T senior members who are likely to be affected by the coalition are trying by any means possible to suppress the fruition of NERA as they will risk losing their top positions.
It is common knowledge that Tsvangirai and Biti have failed to work together long back. Tsvangirai's dictatorial tendencies forced Biti and allies to part ways with their form boss. It is surprising to hear that the two had mended their relations. Honestly, this relationship will never materialize by any chance. Reuniting Tsvangirai to Biti is just a forced marriage which most people believe will suffer growth.
Although Tsvangirai, Biti and Mujuru constitutes part of the opposition forces, their political background are totally different making it very difficult for the three to coalesce.
The very unfortunate thing of a union of political parties is that all the leaders of different parties would be craving for power. Who would want to be behind someone? The reason that forced Biti to call it quits with Tsvangirai is that he wanted power. Also, Mujuru was expelled from the ruling party because she wanted to unconstitutionally remove President Mugabe from power so that she will take over. This explains why the union of the three parties is just a fallacy.
Early this year, Tsvangirai mentioned at rally in Masvingo that his party was not interested in working with other opposition outfits. Additionally, Tsvangirai declared that his party was going fight the 2018 election battle as a stand-alone party. However, two months down the line, MDC-T made a u-turn on this decision and started calling for coalition with other opposition parties. Tsvangirai's inconsistencies in decision making depicts that he is confused. Biti and Mujuru should not bank their hopes on this opposition veteran. Remember there are close to fifteen (15) months before the 2018 harmonised elections, anything can happen within that period. Tsvangirai is a political chameleon who is capable of changing his political views depending on a situation that works in his favour. So Biti and Mujuru must risk being used by Tsvangirai and join him at their own peril.
Biti has exposed himself that he is not a presidential material. Recently, Biti endorsed Mai Mujuru as the opposition candidate for 2018. Will Tsvangirai buy such a decision since he was in the opposition politics for close to two decades? One really wonders if Tsvangirai will permit himself to be under the leadership of Mafikizilo.
Biti, in trying to reunite with Tsvangirai, invited him to the PDP's first anniversary celebrations which will be held in Bulawayo over the weekend. Biti is trying to find a better position where he can stay in the event that a coalition has been formed, hence pretending to be too good to both Tsvangirai and Mujuru.
A coalition of opposition parties is next to impossible especially in Zimbabwe and Africa as whole. Remember in Kenya, a coalition of opposition parties in Kenya, Coalition for Reforms and Democracy (CORD), crumbled soon after elections. It is worth noting that there were simmering supremacy battles in that CORD after Moses Wetangula launched his presidential bid. Most political analysts had even claimed and warned that the coalition will struggle to arrive at a presidential flag-bearer and this would be the end of it.
In the Zimbabwean context, the same is expected in the opposition politics. Marrying Tsvangirai to Mujuru and Biti has more demerits and less merits. Also, in coalitions each party member has his or her certain constraints, which often force him/her to ignore their partners' anti-democratic activities. Usually, party members deliberately try not to criticise their partners because if they do so, the union would become null and void.
Already, there are reports that most top officials in opposition parties under National Electoral Reform Agenda (NERA) are in fear of losing their positions in the event that a coalition of thirteen (13) parties is formed. As it stands, reports have it that MDC-T senior members who are likely to be affected by the coalition are trying by any means possible to suppress the fruition of NERA as they will risk losing their top positions.
Source - Sibusiso Ndlamini
All articles and letters published on Bulawayo24 have been independently written by members of Bulawayo24's community. The views of users published on Bulawayo24 are therefore their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Bulawayo24. Bulawayo24 editors also reserve the right to edit or delete any and all comments received.
