Opinions from The Zimbabwe Daily
The Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) has been Zimbabwe’s main opposition party since its formation in 1999. The MDC was formed by former trade unionists who were at odds with the government over its treatment of workers. The MDC’s agenda for change in the country resonated with many of the disgruntled Zimbabweans and for that they enjoyed successive electoral victories. They managed to penetrate into former Zanu PF strongholds, which threatened the very existence of Zanu PF and led to panic within the Mugabe regime. Many believed that the MDC would inevitably form a new government that would lead Zimbabwe into the promised golden age.
Unfortunately, the MDC has failed to dislodge the Zanu PF government after multiple attempts. There have been allegations of electoral fraud. Some of the allegations are well founded but then the are some allegations that are far-fetched such as the science fiction ballot paper made in Israel. Unfortunately, some folk in Zimbabwe have very basic reasoning so they believe ridiculous assertions, be it from Zanu PF or MDC. However, this opinion piece is not about the gullibility of Zimbabwe folk but about the failure of the MDC.
The MDC finds it easy to blame the ruling elite for their own failures instead of looking each other in the eye and accept that their own failures are a creation of their own. Currently, the MDC is tearing itself apart as the Chamisa and Khupe camps fight each other for the crown of the party. Their sole focus as it stands is who will be victorious but they are not thinking at what cost. The story of how we came to this goes back to the early day of the MDC and the subsequent splits. The recurring theme in all these has been one of not accepting responsibility but laying the blame squarely at Zanu PF. Every time there has been a fight and or a split within the MDC, Zanu PF has been the prime candidate for blame. However, you don’t need special reasoning capabilities to realise that the MDC is destroying themselves. Of course, Zanu PF is exploiting the situation to its own advantage but they did not create this situation, the MDC did.
The MDC politicians are cowards who only care about their political careers than the population they claim to be serving. I doubt that throughout their fights, they have stopped to think about the people who put them in those positions of prominence. Add to that, the MDC does not seem to have anything to offer to Zimbabwe apart from their desire to replace Zanu PF. I fear that if any of the MDC formations are given the opportunity to lead the country, sooner or later, they will end up just like Zanu PF.
What Zimbabwe needs is a credible opposition, an opposition that will challenge Zanu PF and can rally the people behind them for real change. An opposition party does not need to be in power to deliver change, an opposition party can successfully lobby the government to deliver some of the much needed change in the country. However, the MDC is a one trick pony that only believes being in power is what will change things for the country.
Like many Zimbabweans who have been sitting on the side lines, I have come to realise that the MDC is not fit for purpose. Zimbabwe deserves a better opposition party that will help deliver the country from the abyss it currently sits in.
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