Twelve months since the signing of the global political agreement (GPA), and six months since the inauguration of the inclusive government, Zimbabwe seems to be standing still. There is little that has changed in the manner in which the country is governed. Mugabe and Zanu(PF) still wield a lot of power; in other words, there has been very little, if any, power sharing between the MDC and Zanu(PF).
The reasons for this unhealthy state of affairs are well known by virtually all Zimbabweans. Mugabe is reluctant to share power with Tsvangirai because he finds the Prime Minister to be a serious threat to his tenure of political office in this country. Mugabe knows very well that given even the slightest chance, Tsvangirai would overtake him without making any serious effort. Tsvangirai has already proved that he is currently the most popular political figure in Zimbabwe. To allow Tsvangirai to grab any meaningful political power is like committing political suicide for Mugabe.
Zanu(PF) is well aware that it has generally lost 90% of its grassroots support throughout the country. It is also aware that the MDC is extremely popular throughout the country. Allowing the MDC to grab any more political space will be like Zanu(PF) chopping off one of its legs. The resistance to any further concessions is therefore clearly aimed at preventing the over-popular MDC from becoming the ruling party any time soon.
But all of this is futile since Zanu(PF) is losing support practically every day as the situation in the country slowly gets better. For example, Zimta, which is not really well known for taking job action in demand for better working conditions in the past, has just capitulated on the latest strike by its members. The fact that the members of the other two teachers unions continued to teach our children defeated the Zimta call for job action. This has infuriated the Zanu(PF) militia and a few misguided war veterans who think that the teachers strike was going to make the MDC look bad.
This current state of affairs has forced the MDC to undertake a nationwide consultative process to determine whether to continue to be part of the inclusive government or to pull out. I can assure the democratic party that the vast majority of the people of this country will insist that the MDC should stay in the inclusive government and continue to push and pull until the cows come home.
There are many things that Mugabe and Zanu(PF) can no longer do in the usual way because of the presence of the MDC in the inclusive government. There are also things that the MDC is now able to do governmentally because it is now part of the bogus arrangement. The push and pull must continue, but it urgently needs the support of progressive forces throughout the country. Unfortunately, civil society has largely been weakened by the brain drain and the high levels of both fear and mediocrity now pervading that sector.
MDC activists and the remnant civil society could engage in peaceful demonstrations in various parts of the country in order to demonstrate to Mugabe and his minions that the people demand change like yesterday. Students have now become so weak and bereft of energy that all they think of is where their next take away is going to come from.
If progressive forces were to hit the streets peacefully demanding that MDC governors and diplomatic representatives be installed, that Roy Bennett be sworn in, and that Gono and Tomana be dismissed from office, then the MDC would not struggle so hard to get the old man of Zvimba to do the right thing.
Post published in: Opinions