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Tichaona Zindoga
It’s not such a good idea to start a New Year on a sour or hopeless note. One cannot fault, for example, Douglas Mwonzora, spokesperson of the opposition MDC-T who said on December 31 that, “As a party, next year, we will restrategise, regroup in preparation for elections at any time.”
But there was a touch of a “Freudian slip” when he said “MDC has weathered the storm of ZANU-PF-induced rebellion among the ranks of the party”.Beyond the hope and the dream of an MDC-T that wins elections, even improbable ones, lurks real problems facing the MDC-T: that of internal instability bordering on a leadership crisis in light of the party’s woes and those of its leader Morgan Tsvangirai.
Tsvangirai, a serial loser, is a man many say has gone past his sell-by date. This is a party in real trouble, evidence of which was a report by this paper recently that four top guys were eyeing the president’s post.
This was only four months after an unusually scathing attack on the party leadership by its founding member and financier Roy Bennett.
In September, Bennett wrote that he did “pray that all our leaders elected at congress take a good hard look in the mirror.”
Said he: “Those who have been involved in self-centred politics, who have discredited the values of our party, and who made decisions which have denied people the right of a transparent and free election, should do the honourable thing and tender their resignations.”
He said the party would have entered July 31 elections “in a much stronger position — in terms of organisation, structural integrity and ground level participation.”
He went further: “In my humble opinion, being exiled, but still in day-to-day contact with Zimbabwean grassroots activists, I am of the view that our party needs some serious introspection.”
For all there is to know, no resignations have taken place and Tsvangirai and company are still very much around. The “serious introspection” looks like has been shelved, if the intended effect was to help or lead to leadership renewal.
Nor has there been change of “coach” and “rusty bolt” in Ian Kay’s statement that, “There is need to plan ahead before the ship sinks and if there is need to change the coach, then let it be. Or should I say it is like a rusty bolt? There is need for it to be removed and replaced with a new one rather than leave it like that.”
So the problem won’t go away.
What then are the prospects?
Tendai Biti, the secretary general, has been rumoured to be intent on taking over from Tsvangirai.
He has repeatedly denied this.
He even invokes the Divine to play down his prospects.
He told a radio station last year that: “As a student of history and as a Christian, ambition can be very dangerous because it’s divine forces; it is God who put people where they are so this business of trying to anticipate and have conspiracy theories is ahistorical. ”In the event that he finally throws his name in the hat, will he be the man Morgan Tsvangirai has failed to be in the past 14 years?
Some analysts say that Biti does not resonate with the grassroots and he is a technocrat and intellectual that even Tsvangirai is suspicious of.
Some of Biti’s outbursts and pursuit of “hardline” stance have tended to alienate some people who feel he may yet make a ruthless leader.
The Prince Charming would be Nelson Chamisa, who has risen through the ranks from student and youth politics through to spokesperson of the party to be the national organising chief. He is a smooth talker. He dresses well, too. But he is not universally respected.
Some within the MDC-T are blaming him for the reversal of July 31.
He failed as commissar to organise and canvass support for the party.
Some people are unhappy with an over-religious streak that he has grown, which may have put him out of touch with reality.
He is said to be among the people who used to advise Tsvangirai that there was some divine plan for him to rule Zimbabwe.
The professed divine intervention, also mouthed reportedly by Tsvangirai’s wife Elizabeth, did not materialise and serious questions are now being asked of the wisdom of Chamisa.
Will he be able to maintain the powerful position of party commissar and so grow his stature? Elias Mudzuri has always been some kind of favourite among the party faithful, especially in Harare, where he once was mayor.
But apart from Harare, it is feared that he may not be able to command the grassroot support needed for national leadership. After all, he lost the organising portfolio to Chamisa.
Those who make safe bets would not be drawn to put money on Mudzuri.
Or Elton Mangoma, the party treasurer, who also does not appear to have enough gravitas to lead a united and winning MDC-T.
Online Reporter