via MDC-T facing oblivion, think tank 07 January 2015
THE opposition MDC-T should seize the moment and capitalise on the on-going infighting in the ruling party if it is to remain relevant and survive oblivion, a political think tank has advised.
Despite winning last year’s elections, ZANU (PF) is still struggling with issues of legitimacy and is currently embroiled in fierce internal squabbles over who would control the party after President Robert Mugabe.
According the Zimbabwe Democracy Institute this situation should have come in handy for the opposition.
“One would have expected the opposition to capitalize on the internecine fights in the ruling party to offer alternative ideas that galvanize citizens but internal fights have also weakened it,” the institute noted in its voluminous policy document, it recently commissioned.
“Unless it resolves its internal differences now the opposition is unlikely to regain its strength to mount a serious challenge in the 2018 election.”
The think tank said the MDC’s change dream was now a nightmare following last year’s election.
“The MDC’s defeat dealt a blow to the dream of change which had galvanized the opposition and its civic allies for close to a decade and a half,” the political think tank noted.
“ZANU (PF) not only regained its hegemonic foothold on the Zimbabwean polity but also managed to partially resolve its popular legitimacy question which had been marred by electoral violence and blatant human rights violations.”
The July 31st 2013 elections dealt the MDC-T a heavy blow as they suffered their worst defeat at the hands of Zanu PF since their formation in 1999. The MDC got 49 seats against Zanu (PF)’s whooping 160 out of 210 seats in the national Assembly.
The opposition party which had troubled President Robert Mugabe for the past fifteen years appears to have been severely affected by the 2013 outcome which led to a further split.
Former finance minister Tendai Biti and MDC-T deputy treasurer general Elton Mangoma led a walk out of members who were disgruntled with Tsvangirai’s leadership to form the Renewal Team.
This became a second split after Welshman Ncube led a similar walk out in 2005.
COMMENTS
Put fair elections and you will see that we still support the MDC. 2013 elections were entirely rigged and can not be used as a proper measure fr anything!Dont fool yourselves or try to fadza zanu naMatibili coz isu vavhoti tiri tii. We have not changed. Tsvangson’s votes didnt change from 2008 to 2013….Mugabe just created additional ghots voters and “voted” himslef and his cronies in.