By Bernard Bwoni
The Achilles heel of
Zimbabwe politics is the lack of an authentic, relevant and effective
opposition. Instead of a policy-orientated response to the current economic
challenges facing the country, what we get from the likes of Job Sikhala is the
‘overthrow’ of a democratically elected government in Zimbabwe. In any other
part of the world, calling for the ‘overthrow’ of a democratically elected
government is at best criminal and at worst treasonous. It would be
a different matter if one focuses on adjusting their barebones policies and
hope for an electoral victory against the ruling party. But calling for the
overthrow of government is not only sloppy and political immaturity. As if that
was not enough Tsvangirai came up with his own hastily prepared statement
saying "We are drawing a line in the sand and we shall pressurise and
mobilise the people….we are going to mobilise. The form and content is left to
the MDC to plan and execute," Both Tsvangirai and Sikhala are not putting
on the table the alternative policy strategies to any of the reasons they are
proposing these calls for the ‘overthrow’ of an elected government and calls
for mass action. Now the question to pose to Tsvangirai is where are your
shadow policies to the country’s economic challenges? A sober opposition acts
as trouble-shooters and not mere meddling spectators or rubble-rousers. He went
on to say "Let Mugabe be warned that if we cannot live as free men and
women in our country of birth, we will rather die as free people," This is
a contradictory statement from these two men who are calling for the ‘overthrow’
of a government freely and yet they make confused and confusing claims that
their freedoms are being violated. Tsvangirai and Sikhala are being very dishonest
and irresponsible with their calls for these mass demonstrations which have the
potential of leading to violence. These two men need reminding that such calls
for such unconstitutional means of removing an elected government will not
address the economic challenges facing the country. Calling for any action with
the potential to lead to chaos and unnecessarily endangering lives is irresponsible
leadership, an illness of those with misguided and misplaced loyalties to push
champion the interests and agendas of a power-hungry opposition which fronts
the agendas of even more powerful external stakeholders. There is no painless
side to violence, there is no excuse for acts of violence; there is no better
or worse violence and all perpetrators walk the same line in the eyes of the
recipients of the vile acts. Violence in politics must never be condoned or downplayed
as there are innocent victims and misguided perpetrators. A genuine opposition
should be busy challenging the ruling party on matters of policy and not trying
to instigate unrest in the country. How is a walk in the streets going to
address the country’s economic challenges? The call from these two bares no
attempt at restructuring the economy but to cause disruption to the country and
potentially harm to others.
It is the
resilient Zimbabwean spirit that has sustained this country through this very
difficult period and not the ill-advised calls for violence or mass action from
an irresponsible opposition. It is this beautiful Zimbabwean spirit that is
going to address the country’s economic difficulties and not the thoughtless
calls from opposition leaders who are seeking relevance through reckless means.
Zimbabweans are one and together are going to pull through. The admission is
that the country is facing economic challenges but is the opposition engineered
violence the solution the challenges?
The
country deserves a genuine opposition built on genuine and deep-rooted values. Any
citizen would welcome a strong opposition to the ruling party, an opposition
that can carry forward the country’s vision and direction and not parade it
carelessly to the highest bidder for political celebrity status. An opposition
that can define and direct the country’s vision forwards as opposed to naïve fascination
with aiding and abetting structures and systems which will never empower the
people of Zimbabwe. An opposition that engross itself in calling for the ‘overthrow’
of an elected government is structurally and strategically flawed. A
people-centred opposition must go beyond empty proclamations and crafty schemes
to cause unrest as an alternative and backdoor to the corridors of power in
Zimbabwe. Surely if a mere substance-free call for the ‘overthrow’ of President
Mugabe is all it takes to tread the corridors of Zimbabwean power then State
House would be heaving with Presidents of all colours and creeds right now.
The
fact of the matter is that Zimbabwe is not going to have that sort of opposition
in the foreseeable future. It takes time and commitment to crotchet the
principles, the vision and values that define a country. It takes time and a
genuine desire to build a party which embodies, defines, anchors, binds and
shapes the nation as a whole. It takes more than following neo-packaged orders
from ashore to build a party which offers something tangible to benefit present
and pass onto future generations. Any citizen would want an opposition that
offers the country reassurances rather than seek to disrupt lives again. These
ill-thought out calls from the opposition have not been associated with better
outcomes and fortunes where such actions have been encouraged, again by
external players with own vested interests. You look at Libya and Egypt today
and it is not only disappointing but distressing to watch. The reckless calls
for violence and these mass demonstrations will not address our current
challenges. The calls from the opposition are careless and ill-advised. The
opposition in Zimbabwe does not offer any reassurances that national direction will
remain unaltered, the defining foundations of Zimbabwe will remain entrenched
and that the nucleus of this country’s vision will remain guarded should they
enter into power by some miracle. Zimbabwean opposition politics is in an ideological grey area
and vacant space, existing but non-existent, totally unconvincing; bend over
backwards and forwards to the whims and commands of stakeholders with agendas
that will never in a million years upgrade the lives of the people of Zimbabwe.
The people of Zimbabwe only want solutions, not social gatherings to massage
Tsvangirai’s politically and personally wounded ego.
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