via Another GNU not an option | SW Radio Africa by Nomalanga Moyo on Wednesday, April 2, 2014
Dewa Mavhinga, a leading civil rights activist, has said a new Government of National Unity is not an option because it will fail like the previous one and will divert people from pursuing genuine political reform.
He said ZANU PF can only reform if it is subjected to ‘domestic’ pressure from united, organized and informed citizens who can actively participate in political processes. He said that the focus should be on laying the ground for ‘sufficient pressure’ which will force political change. Mavhinga, who is the chairperson of the Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition, said this can be done by building the citizens’ capacity to make connections between economic decline and the lack of political freedom.
Mavhinga’s comments come after senior MDC-T politicians, including party leader Morgan Tsvangirai, have called for a new coalition saying ZANU PF has neither the will nor capacity to lead an economic recovery. Some analysts have predicted a complete economic collapse which they say will force ZANU PF into a new coalition.
But Mavhinga said people should not just hope that the economy will implode and force ZANU PF to do this. He said instead the people should mobilise and demand their basic rights and political freedoms. He added: ‘The problem ahead of the 2013 election was that of demobilized people who were now looking up to the GNU when they were not in a position in their own communities to push for reform. This is what needs to be addressed’.
He said part of the demobilization of the communities was a result of civil society aligning itself with the MDC parties without playing their role of offering warnings and constructive criticism. He added: ‘This is why we are restating the position that civil society’s autonomy and independence should be guarded jealously so that they can play their role of empowering the citizens.’
Many analysts have blamed civil society for not warning the opposition against entering the 2013election without proper reforms to the electoral system. ZANU PF was eventually declared the winner but few have accepted the result because of the unfairness of the electoral process. To this date the electronic voter’s roll is still not available to the opposition and to Zimbabweans.
COMMENTS
I salute you Mr Mavhinga you talk sense and you know what you are saying.The MDC-T was naive and stupid to go to an election before the GNU agreed conditions were met.They have delayed meaningful change and allowed suffering to continue for more years to come due to their misguided and lack of common sense and simple wisdom.
I hope when you talk to them they will listen because many good people failed to advise them since they had a leadership which claimed that it knew everything.Unfortunately,it was wrong because it was clouded by simple stupidity and greediness.
Kana MDC-T isingagone haigone kugona. The fact that they failed to unseat ZANU PF in several attempts means they are a total failure and a non-starter. Don’t force MDC-T to do what they cannot do. Please think beyond MDC-T if regime change is to be realized. MDC-T is ZANU PF and ZANU PF is MDC-T. Is that difficult to understand. There is one or two opposition party or parties more focused on regime change than MDC-T now a total joke. Another GNU is a waste of thought and time. Mavhinga do more research on opposition politics in Zimbabwe. Think outside the box. Real opposition parties are facing funding problems otherwise the one or two real opposition parties can unseat ZANU PF on one trial. MDC-T yaparara. Rave zuru rakapinda nyoka rinotyisa iyo nyoka yakaenda kare.
I also salute you Mr Mavhinga so-called GNU’s have not worked anywhere in Africa. Typical and latest examples being Zimbabwe itself and Kenya. After 4/5 yrs of AU/SADC engineered GNUs, people’s basic rights and descending continue to be trampled upon; corruption by governing elite remains order of the day; levels of poverty among majority continues to increase exponentially. All the so-called GNUs achieved was creating false hope among the majority, as the created pseudo-stability, prolonged the majority suffering, allowed anti-democratic forces to regrouped and re-strategize and come back with a firmer hold on power; and effectively delay the advent of democracy to those countries indefinitely.
My take is if Mr T is yawning for another GNU then certainly his is singing his own solo music in a wilderness. It is no rocket science to say if Zanu pf really wants to destroy MDC for good then another GNU with MDC is a master stroke. I’m sure Mr T and close associates (especially the kitchen cabinet, if it still exists)will jump for the opportunity to go back, rubber shoulders, and drink tea with their erstwhile Zanu pf counterparts, and as usual play publicity officers of the GNU by proclaiming how wonderful it will be working; and what a cordial working relationship between Mugabe & Tsvangison, blaa, blaaa…. This will be the end of MDC. Just try it. At the moment some are still giving them benefit of doubt for their sleeping on duty during the previous GNU. But for them dare go back to bed with zanu pf again in the name of GNU – over our dead bodies!
Let them go back. We already know who our enemies are. Zanufication of the MDC was completed.