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Lungile Tshuma
“IT never rains, but it pours” for MDC-T.
The recent resignation of Mr Roy Bennett, the treasurer-general, added salt to the MDC-T’s fresh wound, as it came a few days after the party had lost the 31 July elections dismally. It was a significant resignation because Mr Bennett was one of the founding and influential figures in the British-backed party. He was also one of the most vocal people within the MDC-T top brass. For many of us, his resignation came as a surprise, as it is like seeing Mr Tendai Biti, the party’s secretary-general, stepping down. This justifies the above adage, “it never rains, but pours” for MDC-T.
Besides being vocal, Mr Bennett was the link man between MDC-T and the donor community. Through him, the party was pampered with money to bankroll its activities in Zimbabwe, hoping that they were going to form the next government.
“It is going to be a heavy blow on MDC-T funding,” said Dr Charity Manyeruke, a University of Zimbabwe political science lecturer, of Mr Bennett’s resignation.
“Bennett was the middleman and this is the reason why the party had many western backers. The MDC-T got backing because he (Bennett) is a white person and whites in the West were supporting MDC-T through Bennett. This shows that the party is a foreign project. When you rely on an individual just like MDC-T, it is suicidal. We are going to see the MDC-T dwindling in terms of its support base and now that there is going to be no more funding; it is going to be worse.”
For the party that is headquartered at Harvest House in Harare, one expected that there was going to be light at the end of the tunnel. Good things were going to come for them which was assuming power. Unfortunately for them, there was no harvest.
For the past 14 years that the party has been involved in local politics, it has always experienced poor yields. Perhaps what can pass for a harvest for Harvest House was its four-year stint in the inclusive Government because of the 100 seats it won in the Lower House in 2008.
After losing the 31 July elections, loyalists expect their party to go back to the drawing board and regroup, but unfortunately for them, the defeat was so demoralising that a come-back is unlikely. Furthermore, rifts are opening up in the party’s rank and file. Crucially, the future of party leader, Mr Morgan Tsvangirai, Mr MDC-T himself is uncertain.
Mr Bennett’s resignation is an eye-opener and an indication that the party is on its knees; on its last legs. In self-imposed exile in South Africa, Mr Bennett accused his party members of being in politics only to amass wealth, a well-known point that led to the party’s defeat in the last election.
“I have watched colleagues start with nothing and become wealthy, become arrogant, become unapproachable, embarrassed to speak out on anything to do with race or land. I sit forced into exile and never hear from any of my colleagues.
“I call them, they do not call back and the only time I ever hear from them is when they want something! This is the truth and I make no apologies. Now they have been defrauded and should stand on principle with the people and not participate in this shameful theft of our will. Those that lost seats are falling over each other to stand for Mayor of Harare, Ceremonial Mayor!
“It is time for me to step aside and wait and watch what develops. But for the true honest and decent Zimbabweans, when the Lord our God returns our country to us I will be there as always to serve. I need to take some time to make a life for my traumatised family. I need to put my efforts into something that can give me an income to sustain my family.
“I just wish things could have been different, what I do have left are my principles and integrity and friends, they are not trade-able under any circumstances,” said Mr Bennett.
Since the treasurer-general, a member of the party’s standing committee has stepped down in such a shocking way, accusing his own colleagues of being power hungry, and only there to nurse small egos, one is left asking what the future holds for the MDC-T.
Exposing such compromising information about the party leadership to people who are still pinning their hopes on the party and are willing to pour their money, will do nothing but to cause further damage to the image of the so-called “party of excellence.”
For the past decade, MDC-T has been benefiting from Western funds and getting all the support they need. With the departure of Mr Bennett, the powerful white factor of MDC-T that reassured its Western benefactors, the question to ask is “is the party going to regroup without him?”
Mr Gabriel Chaibva, a political analyst said:
“Roy Bennett was an unofficial British representative to the MDC-T. So his departure means that there is no more money for the party and this marks the collapse of the British project. These elections also marked the end of the road for Tsvangirai.”
It will not be surprising, said Mr Chaibva, to see the British and the rest of the West engaging the incoming Zanu-PF Government.
“Zanu-PF now forms the Zimbabwean Government. If the British want to talk, they should engage Zanu-PF. In doing that, they should come with tails between their legs because their project failed. The international community is definitely going to engage Zanu-PF but it will also depend on whether they are willing to conform to the country’s policy of indigenisation,” he said.
Dr Manyeruke said the party’s failure to pursue people’s interests led to its miserable performance in the elections last month.
“They have no policies that resonate with the people and this resulted in them losing this election. Whites wanted the party to win so that their companies could benefit from the country’s resources at the expense of Zimbabweans. This is the reason why Zanu-PF won. The party has policies that are of substance. The indigenisation policy, for instance, is tangible,” she said.
She added that the MDC-T can play a role as an opposition party although the party can lose even that lowly status.
“Being an opposition party is not all about forming the next Government. What is important is that the party influences decision-making, make the Government responsible and to jump if possible. What is crucial is the future of the country than anything else,” she said.
Dr Manyeruke ruled out the possibility of an MDC-T comeback to match their 2008 performance through which it nearly got into power.
She said: “I do not see them (MDC-T) forming another strong opposition. Maybe another opposition party might come taking advantage of the situation.”
Online Reporter