via MDCs have to take part in by-elections – NewsDay Zimbabwe March 20, 2015
THERE are reports that the Morgan Tsvangirai-led MDC party’s top brass will soon meet to review a congress resolution that bars it from contesting elections until electoral reforms are implemented.
The MDC-T national council — its highest decision-making organ in between congresses — is the only organ that can alter, amend and or set aside resolutions of the congress.
While we do not bid for Tsvangirai’s political outfit, we believe their failure to participate in any forthcoming election could give Zanu PF an unfair advantage to consolidate its stranglehold on power at a time the ruling party has failed to lift Zimbabwe from its political and economic quagmire.
It appears that Zimbabwe’s economy is hurtling towards an abyss, and President Robert Mugabe and Zanu PF have no idea how to stem the tide.
So if MDC-T fails to participate in the election, this will weaken opposition politics giving Zanu PF time to recover lost ground ahead of the 2018 elections. That will make it extremely difficult for the opposition to present a challenge to Zanu PF in the coming polls.
Therefore, it is important for opposition parties to participate in by-elections as demanded in a democracy. Zimbabwe nor any other country cannot afford a one-party system hence it is important for all political players to challenges Zanu PF for the good of democracy and the electorate.
It is unfortunate that the MDC-T leadership appears not to have clarity in its policies. They need not be reminded that their 2005 split was triggered by lack of foresight after failing to agree on their participation in the Senate elections.
It’s true that Zanu PF will not agree to MDC-T demands yet they continue making the unnecessary demands. They must show that they can fight the injustices and win. But by failing to retain the 21 seats, it means that Zanu PF will not have to be accountable to the electorate.
It is high time the MDC-T rescinded its decision and participate in the elections, and two things will happen: Either they will win or lose them to Zanu PF or any other party.
The MDC-Renewal Team should also fight, and chances are that some of the MPs will regain their lost seats. Whatever happens, the winner will be the constituency. Zimbabweans do not want blind leadership, but one that can deliver on their election promises.
Therefore, we urged all political parties to take a stand to fight it out with Zanu PF. They should not deliver the 21 parliamentary seats to Zanu PF on a silver plate. That is unacceptable. Zimbabweans need change in their leadership. Opposition politicians should be aware of the consequences of giving away victory to a political party such as Zanu PF.
Therefore it is important for Tsvangirai’s party at least as the main opposition outfit to take a bold stand on whether to participate or not in the by-elections to fill the vacant seats in Parliament.
It is not a coincidence that the expulsion of the 21 so-called MDC-T rebel MPs has excited Zanu PF. This should be cause for concern for all democratic forces in the country as the party seeks to win all the by-elections and increase its numerical advantage in the National Assembly.
We believe also that it is no longer time for the MDC Renewal Team to cry over spilt milk. In fact, they should fight and show that there is life after MDC-T.
Opposition parties must not unnecessarily fight against each other, while the common enemy dines. It is time they prepared for the bare-knuckle fight at the ballot box any time soon. It is a fact that opposition parties have one common goal — to remove a dictatorial government that has failed Zimbabweans.
COMMENTS
I tend to agree with this article that following the MDC-T recalling the MP’s thus forcing by-elections on the affected constituencies, MDC-T should contest the by-elections if their design was not to hand over the seats to ZANU-PF. The Renewal Team should also do likewise on this occasion whilst continuing with the fight for electoral reforms which both sides appear to have ignored when they were enjoying the comfort and luxury of power during the Inclusive Government.
If both MDCs fight all the by-election seats, then ZANU PF will win some of them thereby increasing their majority. It will make Zimbabwe’s opposition political leadership collectively the most arrogant, stupid, useless collection of fools on a continent blighted by arrogant, stupid useless fools.
True. For all we know, the decisions/resolutions by individual parties were never really cast on stone. In my view it was just another, way of piling pressure on Zanu pf to institute electoral reforms. Unfortunately, zanu pf being zanu pf has taken such resolutions as incentives for it not to institute any reform. So, that by default, it will then declare ‘landslide’ victory in any future election boycotted by opposition on same basis – just as they did in the ill-fated 2008 Presidential re-run. That being the case, opposition must simply reverse the decision as it actually resulted in a negative result than they had anticipated.
So, Biti_Ncube UMDC must now stop crying & show people what they are made of. MDC_T must brace for the fight while re-thinking other ways of piling pressure on the belligerent Mugabe & zanu pf.
Either war or war!
I concur, all the MDC groups should take part in these by-elections and because in this case there are only 21 of them they can study closely what Zanu PF wants to do insofar as rigging is concerned.
To Biti et al. its your time to show off your popularity(if any) and test the renewal phenomenon before the real thing in three years time. And as for Mafume you can keep talking, insulting everyone left, right and centre.
Vanoda mapepa okunze ndibatei pa rimanhiqui@gmail.com. Tsvagai upenyu kunze zvemuzim zvinonetsa
It seems all concur…..MDCs goes into the election and things do not work according to plan….”Tsvangirai atengesa why did he go for elections before reforms….why did join the unity government”. It is easier to analyse and blame especially with the benefit of hindsight…instead of standing with our leaders who trying, in the political jungle where 1+1 is not always equals to Two, we point fingers.
People of Zimbabwe lets support our man let’s not give up and blame him for the national problems. Let those who bet on Dumiso, Ncube, Zunde, Biti etc also stand by their man not blame MT for everything.
I would hope that the Transform Zimbabwe Party take these seats. I will be praying for them.
These are glaringly obvious facts you mention Tsuro, yet our brothers seem to fail in appreciating them.
Lets stand by our leaders and ZANU will be history before very long.
What do you mean standing by our leaders and ZANU PF will be history when you recall MP’s from the opposition and at the same time declaring publicly that MDC-T will not take part in any elections until electoral reforms are in place. He was the PM for 5 years and he was silent on electoral reforms. SADCC advised him not to go for elections without electoral reforms in 2013 what did he do? and you expect to continue putting their trust in such blind and chaotic leadership if not selling out, my foot!!!.