MDC, firing blanks
Morgan Tsvangirai and the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) are just no match for Mugabe and his Zanu PF cohorts. Sad but true. Let’s reflect on the last few weeks:
- The MDC campaigned brilliantly in the election
- Zimbabweans voted out Mugabe and Zanu PF
- The MDC claimed victory, and sat back
- Zanu PF delayed the announcement of election results to facilitate their rigging and to find a way to stay in power
- Zanu PF reverts to the tried and tested pattern of resorting to the courts – really a smokescreen for even longer delays and provides for the mollification of our regional neighbours
In the meantime everyone in the pro-democracy movement and the political opposition in Zimbabwe say that “patience” is needed.
The net result of this patience has been a loss of momentum from a victorious declaration.
The loss of momentum and no clear plan on the part of the MDC has seen a strengthened Zanu PF.
This patience has given Zanu PF time to ban political meetings and rallies.
This patience has given Zanu PF time to deploy police and military on our streets, in the townships and rural areas.
This patience has given Zanu PF time to implement a campaign of violence and fresh land invasions.
What is clear is that the MDC yet again thought that an election alone would guarantee Mugabe’s exit.
Now we have word that the MDC has called for a general strike starting on Tuesday. Apparently the MDC has distributed some fliers publicising this strike and had intended to use a rally today to give it further publicity.
But it is yet another MDC initiative launched from satellite TV, doomed to fail because they haven’t engaged the necessary advocacy and lobbying of key stakeholders – business leaders, transport operators, banks (etc). Ask any regular person walking the streets of Harare today and they’ll give you a blank stare when you mention the general strike.
So then some suggestions . . .
1) Prepare properly for a general strike
2) Lead rolling sit-ins at the location where ZEC will be recounting the 23 constituencies
3) Groups of Zanu PF youth should hand out information materials at all intersections in major cities to keep people up to date on developments
4) The approximately 130 opposition MPs and Senators must unify and publicly protest the subversion of the recent election
5) Civil society coalitions should come together to inspire public participation in non-violent public initiatives demanding the immediate announcement of the presidential result
6) Morgan Tsvangirai and the MDC leadership must be seen on the streets of Zimbabwe… our freedom will not be secured through regional and international intervention; it will be won by Zimbabweans
Just as many of us went out to vote for change a couple of weeks ago, now we must unify and give Mugabe what he really doesn’t want, or expect: mass civil disobedience.
Our “patience” helps him more than it helps us.