We Must Eat Elections”-Matibenga

Principals in the Global Political Agreement (GPA) have tentatively agreed to go for polls next year. Addressing a packed Ward 14 rally in Bulawayo s Lobengula-Njube district over the weekend, where she was a guest speaker, Matibenga said, We must eat elections, dream elections and work elections. The MDC founder member is the Governor Designate for Masvingo Province , and Member of Parliament for Harare s Kuwadzana constituency.

During her address, Hon. Matibenga praised the Constitution Parliamentary Committees (COPAC) program of writing a new constitution. It is a victory for the MDC because, from the beginning, Mugabe has always been content with the Lancaster House Constitution, she said. The MDC veteran likened the principals in the Global Political Agreement (GPA) to bus drivers, saying, While one is properly trained, licensed, and mandated, to drive the agenda of the people of Zimbabwe, the other has for decades been driving earth moving equipment, big trucks and other vehicles using a baby clinic (immunisation) card. That is why Zimbabweans saw their economy fail. Citizens have witnessed the health care delivery system collapse as evidenced by the cholera scourge of previous years. Needless to say, our welfare has also been impoverished.

In addition, while encouraging party members to call on their mobilisation skills, Hon. Matibenga prescribed the ballot as the panacea to Zimbabwe s woes. The charismatic trade unionist advised that, Sarudzo yakakosha nokuti hatina hurumende ye mubatanidzwa, tine hurumende ye mushandirapamwe (Elections are important because we do not have a unity Government, but an inclusive Global Political Agreement (GPA) or GNU which means, Gara ne umwe (co-habitat), in shona. Forthcoming polls are the only key out of this marriage of inconvenience.

Another speaker at the campaign was, Minister of Water Resources Development and Management, Hon. Samuel Siphepha Nkomo, who is currently the Member of Parliament, for Lobengula-Njube constituency. Hon. Nkomo addressed the rally stating that the idea of devolution of power was an ancient progeny of the MDC and its President, Morgan Tsvangirai. He went on to say that, People must not be hoodwinked by Mugabes Chronicle Newspaper which seeks to prop Arthur Mutambaras MDC-PF. Issues around devolution of power to provinces should not be falsely reported as an MDC-PF project. It is our agenda. Anything referred to as PF is ZANU-PF, and confirmation of connivance with ZANU-PF is grounded in the history of the party.

Asked to comment on Siphephas statements, MDC-M National Deputy National Spokesperson, Mr. Nhlanhla Dube, shot back saying, What needs to be noted is that we are a party that acknowledges the history of this country. We refuse the invitation to be drawn into a pedestrian and hostile mudslinging match. Such behaviour is the preserve of the party which that gentleman represents. Utterances of that sort coming from somebody who failed to understand the simple dirty hands principle at law, and which consequently led to the closure of the Daily News, is a clear indication of a man aligned to ZANU-PF. There is no other proof to show alignment to ZANU-PF other than the apparent closure of the Daily News which gave voice to the voiceless. It is clear therefore from analysis that Siphepha helped ZANU-PF close the Daily News.

Furthermore, and on the contrary, MDC-T party insiders allege Mutambaras MDC was conniving with ZANU-PF. Speaking on condition of anonymity, cadres loyal to Prime Minister, Morgan Tsvangirai, said, Proof of selling out to ZANU-PF by some in the Pro-Senate formation is revealed in the history of the party. One particular incident that happened in 2005 reveals that omissions were committed deliberately against the Movement by certain members faithful to then Secretary General, Mr. Welshman Ncube. MDC received explicit intelligence warning, of a plot to assassinate Hon. Matibenga by ZANU-PF thugs and war veterans. Other Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) militants were also at risk but not as prime targets. Relevant information was relayed to then MDC Director of intelligence, Mr. Bekithemba Sibanda, also known as Brigadier, and Bulawayo Security Chief of Operations, Mr. Stanley Dube. However, despite the MDCs relevant departments being privy of the facts, ZCTU activists were never made aware of any imminent threats to their lives.

On the fateful morning, armed war veterans and ZANU-PF militia ran amok. They disrupted proceedings, beat up participants and attacked ZCTU activists inside Bulawayo s Selborne Hotel. In the ensuing violence, Hon. Matibenga, whose head was being demanded on a stake, dashed away to hide in the toilet. She survived by a whisker, after shifting from the restroom to bury herself under the hotels table clothes. No arrests were made by police reinforcements present at the scene. They did absolutely nothing to scare off their assailants. A few months later, in October 2005, the MDC split on what seemed at face value to be a tribal fault line. This perception receives fierce contestation from many founding members including the oratorical Matibenga. According to the firebrand trade unionist, tribalism is being used by the opponents of freedom as a smokescreen. The real issue, she holds, Is that some trusted cadres were selling out to ZANU-PF in broad daylight. These people no longer carry the aspirations of the people of Zimbabwe .