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MDC-T muddled up by mixed loyalties
By: Nancy Lovedale
Posted: Monday, September 6, 2010 1:26 am
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MDC-T muddled up by mixed loyalties | MDC-T, puppetism in politics, propaganda, Morgan Tsvangirai, illegal sanctions aganist Zimbabwe

nancy Lovedale
IN his famous speech in 1774, British politician and statesman Edmund Burke said to the voters of Bristol that a politician has four loyalties: "To his conscience; to the wishes of his electorate; to the nation; to his party".

Zimbabwe’s current political landscape has been highly polarised for the better part of the last ten years, with many questions being raised about loyalties, and one's responsibilities to society.

Burke omitted loyalty to “other interests”. This is the crux of the problems facing the Movement for Democratic Change party led by Mr Morgan Tsvangirai. It has loyalty to "other interests" -- western interests.

These interests explain why he sought refuge at the Dutch Embassy in Harare running away from some fictitious threat, just before the 2008 Presidential Election; why he went to Washington representing the Zimbabwean government and did not challenge President Barack Obama why that same government is under sanctions; and why he finds solace in playing golf with people who impose sanctions on his own people.

There has been a struggle between Zanu-PF and those emerging political parties that have sought to replace it, not on the basis of ideas and ideals as one would expect in politics, but on some whimsical, capricious and crude agenda inspired by “other interests”.

With its desperate drive for power, no matter the cost, the MDC-T has become the party of "quid pro quo" – give us this ministry and that ministry; give us governorship posts; fire this person and that person from that post.
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Thrown into this equation is an independent media that were once relatively impartial but have now morphed into a propaganda machine dedicated to shamelessly advancing the agenda of the MDC-T; and demonising and criminalising Zanu-PF by innuendo.

The MDC-T has morphed itself into a party that subscribes to "politics of fear of failure" – their own! If they can't/won't/don't make it on their own, someone else has to provide for them, and Zanu-PF is the “fall guy”. This fail-safe guarantee has caused the MDC-T system to self-destruct and fail to present a credible challenge to Zanu-PF.

It now remains, ten plus years after its formation, as a shadow of its former self – with no credible agenda to present to the people of Zimbabwe, but a combative attitude that despises everything that Zanu-PF does without presenting a credible alternative. This has helped parties like Mavambo/Kusile/Dawn and recently constituted Zapu to clamour for that opposition space.

The hype and euphoria that propelled the MDC-T to prominence, helped by the support of an increasingly marginalised and discredited neo-liberal lot, has completely died down and the party is at pains to try and achieve relevance on the Zimbabwean political space; hence, the confusion about which policy to adopt.

Each way it looks, the MDC-T finds itself on some Zanu-PF policy (or agenda) turf; for example, painfully admitting the importance of the land reform programme at the same time trying to disqualify it using some ludicrous disclaimer about how bad “they went about it”.

The irony and tragedy of the inclusive Government is that part of it (the two MDCs) is currently involved in some re-engagement agenda with the European Union – the same people they worked with in framing the illegal and ruinous sanctions on Zimbabwe. This presents a moral and ideological and intellectual dilemma for those who find themselves working to outdo what they did for the last decade. This explains the ideological confusion that is characteristic of the MDC.

The MDC-T mantra about how the land reform programme will be disastrous for Zimbabwe is now so discredited, it needs no further rebuttal. It is as ridiculous as the sanctions-denial mantra. The successes scored in agricultural production in the last season by the new “Chibero College breed of farmers” are an indictment on these ill-advised claims.

Before the formation of the inclusive Government, many of the MDC-T politicians were presented as “men of excellence” ready to take on the honourable job of running the country. They were presented as men who were wedded to their work.

Yet there was always an undercurrent that came from their handlers that muddled their capacity to perform diligently.

That party was constrained by the shackles of the anti-Zanu PF political rules of engagement placed upon them by their handlers. This made them oppose Zanu-PF policies that the west opposed; even if the rest of the Zimbabwean populace thought them honourable. For example, no Zimbabwean has opposed, at least in principle, the land reform programme; or the indigenisation and economic empowerment policy. The litmus test has always been: “Will the public benefit?”

This is why, despite the unrelenting demonization of Zanu-PF, the pinching of the economy by the West, and the avalanche of American dollars in its way, the MDC-T failed to garner enough support, or mobilise enough mass anger (Final Push, Winter of Discontent), to oust President Mugabe.

The MDC-T party has also failed to appreciate the relevance of the emotive issue of the liberation war. They have called for those who fought white imperialism to “move on” or to change. This has ruffled up feathers in the Zanu-PF camp and reminded those cadres of the sacrifices they made in order to free Zimbabwe, juxtaposed with the contribution made by many of those now resident in the MDCs.

The war veterans gave up many of their prime years, shed their blood, lost their limbs, sacrificed their sanity and gave their last true measure of devotion to free even those who now want them to change.

The war is still fresh in their minds; it’s only been thirty years since the last anti-imperialist shot was fired. In any case, even if it was two hundred years later, that very episode cannot go in vain; and those who call for them to “move on” are only failing to appreciate the extent of the sacrifices made.

The questions then to the leadership of the two MDCs are: “Do you wake up in the morning, look in the mirror and truly say everything you’ve done is for the welfare of the Zimbabwean people? Are you loyal to your conscience; to the wishes of the electorate; to the nation; or just to your party?”

________________________
Nancy Lovedale comes from Arcadia in Harare, is based in Beijing (China) and is an avid supporter of Dynamos FC and Arsenal FC. She can be contacted via nancy_lovedale@yahoo.com



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Tags: illegal sanctions aganist Zimbabwe, MDC-T, Morgan Tsvangirai, propaganda, puppetism in politics
Member Opinions:
By: B777 on 9/7/10
I am impressed with this article by Nancy. This sister should not be wasting her time in China but should go back to Zimbabwe and join the spin department of Zanu PF. This is really wasted talent.
I wish though she would write more on the positives of Zanu PF rather than dwell on the negatives of the MDC. I am sure if she took this path her articles would be two paragraphs long.
On the media, Zim papers and the ZBC are extensions of Zanu PF. These organisations do not work for the good of the country but other interests, and that is Zanu PF. If you don't see anything wrong with that then other newspapers will align themselves with the MDC. This is the truth the world over. Even this site you post on is aligned to some political party.
One thing Nancy has failed to appreciate is that in 2008 the majority of Zimbabweans voted for the MDC under very difficult political environment. People were maimed and continue to be maimed due to their political beliefs. It was the intervention of Justice Chiweshe who withheld the presidential election results that gave Mugabe's handlers time to manipulate the ballot. This was followed through by the toothless SADC and AU who forced upon the Zimbabwe people the GNU.
No body including the MDC have any doubt about the sacrifices the war vets made. But the unfortunate thing is the some of the remaining war vets have betrayed the revolution. They are using their positions not for the good of the people but enriching themselves. The land reform was necessary but it was handled with neolithic incompetence. The land ended up in the hands of the well connected. This will happen with the diamonds and the economic indigenisation. It is the same cabal that sends their kids to western schools and who externalise their ill gotten fortunes to the west and encourage the rest of the people to hate the west and their sanctions.
Lastly can Nancy ask the Zanu PF leadership: "Do you wake up in the morning, look in the mirror and truly say everything you've done is for the welfare of the Zimbabwean people? Are you loyal to your conscience; to the wishes of the electorate; to the nation; or just to your party?"

By: vicegrip on 9/7/10
Boeing 777, with your head in the clouds:
you stated:
The land ended up in the hands of the well connected. This will happen with the diamonds and the economic indigenisation. It is the same cabal that sends their kids to western schools and who externalise their ill gotten fortunes to the west and encourage the rest of the people to hate the west and their sanctions...
I presume you are including the MDC Ministers and Councillors and diamond dealers in your expose?
Nancy writes well,yes, but life is made up of choices and if it is her choice to be
wasting her time and talents in China instead of going go back to Zimbabwe (and, as you suggest) joining the spin department of Zanu PF, who are you to dictate what she should be doing? Glad you not in power, as a Dictator. No one would go home.
However, whilst I might agree with you, havent you noticed that the rest of us too, are wasting our time and talents out in the Diaspora - including yourself, dude.

By: B777 on 9/7/10
@ vicegrip,
One thing for sure is that I am not in power. I don't have the power and I don't want the power to send Nancy to Zimbabwe.
There might be MDC children in the diaspora but I am sure their up keep is not coming from the Zimbabwe tax payers money. But we all know that the majority of Zanu PF kids are overseas at tax payers expense and yet their parents are always castigating these western nations. The CIC himself has a daughter in Hong Kong and an embassy was opened there to look after Bona's affairs.
One thing I will reiterate is the Zanu PF leadership have enriched themselves at the expense of the general populace. I will repeat, most of the land is in the hands of the Zanu PF cabal. The same is happening with the diamonds. The indigenous empowerment will only benefit the well connected as most Zimbos do not have the capital to buy into the foreign owned companies. I am sure you read the goings on at KFHL where Mujuru might take over that bank. Where did a retired soldier get this kind of money from? His daughter was exposed trying to off load some minerals from the DRC to a Spanish company. If you do not believe that the revolution was betrayed by these Zanoids then it's your head in the clouds.
And finally please speak for your self. I am not wasting my time in the diaspora.

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