Of course these reforms will never happen as long as Mugabe has a pulse on his wrist, because his sole ambition is to keel over and expire at his presidential desk, from natural causes.
Perhaps realising that he is in danger of becoming redundant, Tsvangirai recently jerked out of slumber and blurted out something about Zimbabweans ‘freeing themselves.’ This is not the behaviour of a man who buried 200 of his followers after Mugabe’s 2008 bloody election campaign. These are certainly not the utterances of a man who raised the hopes of a trampled majority.
The masses, who were once ready to face police truncheons, nowadays seem dejected, mainly because after a decade of pushing for change, attempts to oust Mugabe through democratic processes have failed.
Unemployment is at its highest – 80 or 90%, depending on the source – so much that millions of Zimbabweans fled to neighbouring countries, where the reception is often hostile. Recent reports suggest 400 bodies of Zimbabwean refugees are repatriated in coffins every month, from South Africa alone and, in most cases, the cause of death is some act of violence. This not only indicates the levels of xenophobia and violent crime in South Africa but underscores the fact that many Zimbabweans would rather die than live a minute under Mugabe’s heel. Furthermore, this might also indicate that the levels of desperation among the unemployed youth have escalated to the point that they are not afraid to die.
Unlike in democratic societies where heads of government generally step down before the natives revolt, African leaders never resign without forceful persuasion. In fact, the deeper they pull their countries into ruin, the more they cling to power; Kaunda, Banda, Amin, Gaddafi, Mubarak and our own Mugabe the leading examples.
After centuries of peaceful protest, the ANC finally escalated its struggle with the birth of its military wing, Umkhonto Wesizwe. Without Tahir Square, Mubarak would have extended his rule way past four decades and similar events occurred in Libya before Gadaffi’s ouster.
No revolution ever succeeded without leadership. As long as there is someone willing to lead with full belief in his mission, the masses will walk, hobble and wheel behind.
Rather than shouting from the comfort of his government mansion – ‘free yourselves’ – Morgan Tsvangirai should be at the front of protest marches, physically leading the fight, otherwise the MDC-T, along with its innumerable factions, runs the risk of losing relevance.
Post published in: Analysis