Since independence we have had some
brave cadres who defied against the status quo of a one Party State, the likes
of the late Edgar Toboy Tekere need to continue to be accorded a golden-medalististic
recognition in the history of opposition politics in Zimbabwe. The mere fact
that ZUM was brave enough to rise and challenge a lion in the name of Gushungo
and his party ZANU PF is alone an eloquent statement adequate to lay the
argument.
Misheck Gondo
The quest and hunger for
democracy from 1999 led to other brave cadres in the name of MDC to launch an opposition stance against a hegemonic rule.
The MDC attracted the support of the grass roots and the western countries both
in funding and principle, though the western countries where there to protect
their foreign interests and policies especially after the much queried fast
track land reform which was done haphazardly to counter the emergency of
vibrant opposition party.
MDC faced its problems, quick to mention the split
that brought the other MDCs. It also had the chance to test the echelons of
state leadership in the name of GNU, no doubt that the economy which was
already on its knees and sink into oblivion due several governance factors was
saved when the Tsvangirai led party agreed to join forces with the Revolution
Party, this has to-in every mind of a Zimbabwean be hailed as it saved not only
lives but also souls.
The GNU era should be remembered
as a precise time to judge the type of opposition leaders we have in the
country, given the chance to rule, power corrupt them absolutely, they are
overwhelmed by power, they relax and drink opponent‘s strategies, swallowed, docile,
forgetting the long time agenda of change, made to endorse several positions
that go against their much touted agenda.
The birth of Mavambo Kusile Dawn
was such a marveled idea which was received with mixed feelings, following Simba‘s
mirroristic bravery such as that of Tekere from ZANU PF, the learned gentlemen
claimed he was the solution bearer to myriad of challenges facing Zimbabwe,
with big wings such as Dumiso Dabengwa a ZAPU cadre, it was not doubtable that a
lot of big wings comrades from ZANU PF were to follow his political ideology,
only to realize that he was almost alone.
A plethora of theories are
emerging which are meant to destabilize ZANU PF from its 34 years of
dictatorship. The theories are posited to bring a desired change.
In this Change Theory, not to be
out done is the emergency of a very learned collogue , a Professor par
excellence, Lovemore Madhuku who turned a constitution monitoring body to a
political Party,(NCA) and it is believed he is still strategizing in hiding.
It is legally correct to say,
Zimbabwe is a Multi-Party democracy, whoever feels to represent the people will
be accorded the opportunity to do so, constitutionally. The Toungana’s, the
Shake’s, the Ncube’s, the Biti’s among other cadres who have come and gone,
tried and are still trying their best in quest for democracy, but the question
remains, are they focused and serious.
The split of a 15-year-old
movement which has so far presented President Robert Mugabe and Zanu PF with the
stiffest challenge since independence in 1980 has weakened the opposition
fortunes to power.
Failure to solve problems,
failure to follow their own democratic guidelines, lack of coherent futuristic
frameworks, infiltration among other,
are the major cited issues that have destabilized and derailed the train to
Canaan.
It’s sad noting that, most of the
comrades in the opposition matrix have been celebrating the conflicts in ZANU
PF instead of capitalizing, re-strategizing and take advantage of that process.
Zimbabweans have been through a long time political training and are fed up
with political rhetoric; instead, they want to see organized frameworks that
bring results, actions that counter discovered mistakes and leadership that
walks with people both in spirit and principles.
The current opposition parties
have derailed from their founding norms of democracy, rule of law, pro-poor
planning among others, they are comfortably sectioning in the play field of
individualistic politics, name calling, power consolidation, black mailing
which is an epitomization of 10th
century politics.
Instead of planning for change, a
lot of power is diverted against each other in the democratic front, a shame
scenario in the growth of our Zimba-Politics.
As the survey by Zimbabwe Democracy Institute (ZDI), it states that the opposition is currently deeply fractured and this might prove fatal to the overwhelming need to vote out the Zanu PF dictatorship; even in the event that a free and fair election is held in the country. ZDI postulated that, there is dire need for all democratic forces to forge alliance against ZANU PF, if there is to be a change any time soon.
All the same, to come out of this political comatose, the
opposition need to self-introspect, re-strategize in a manner that is
beneficial to Zimbabwe, realizing that the art of opposition in any given
country strengthens development and good governance, its not just a mere-shire
piece of self-development -of acquiring
fame and prosperity.
There is that chance for the opposition to change, there is also an equal chance for ZANU-PF, the ruling party to transform itself into a democratic movement, apologize for its wrongs, with an added advantage of the liberation struggle; start afresh guided by the rule of law.
Even through, the country still needs a vibrant, organized,
dedicated, home grown opposition party that keeps checks and balance and have
the capacity to govern whenever it wins elections.
Let’s
wait and see!
Misheck
Gondo is a Political Analyst
