While there is a need for a united force to fight a common enemy its fact that there will always be divisions. I have always advocated unity citing the example of South Africa's ANC which formed a tripartite alliance during the fight to end apartheid with Congress of South African Trade Unions the largest trade union body in Africa and The South African Communist party (SACP). Still you will found out that in South Africa there remained other forces that fought apartheid on their own accord, like Inkhata Freedom Party led by Chief Mangosuthu Bhutelezi, also present was the Liberal Progressive Party led by Helen Suzman. In as much as ANC wanted to them to join their alliance, they saw it necessary to continue fighting their corner against apartheid. What people have to understand is that there will always difference of opinion, difference of strategy and that could put a strain on forming a united front against a common enemy.
That is the dilemma facing MDC today following the acrimonious split of MDC in October 2005. The real MDC led by President Morgan Tsvangirai has acknowledged that we are for unity only for the offer to be spurned by Mutambara led faction. When the issue was further explored the Mutambara faction came up with unrealistic demands for the unifying process to go ahead. They demanded 50% parliamentary representation even though they agree that they represent a very tiny fraction of the Zimbabwean population, they also demanded that executive positions that they held prior to the split be returned to them. While making all these demands it did not occur to them that MDC had restructured and we have dedicated people who never ran away from the struggle over piece-meal senatorial elections introduced by Mugabe to continue his political patronage. All the faithful comrades such as Grace Kwinjeh, Roy Bennet, Tendai Biti were expected by Mutambara and his cohorts Professor Welshman Ncube and Gibson Sibanda to just recede their positions and make way for the unfaithful comrades of Professor Mutambara. When MDC pointed out to the rebels that its them coming back home into the fold they will have to wait another 5 years in accordance with the MDC constitution before they contested positions in the MDC National Executive they cried. Hence you hear the noises and the brouhaha coming from their camp.
While a united front against Mugabe would have been a fantastic thing, its late now for MDC to be concentrating their efforts in uniting with dissidents. We have an election to contest, and given the circumstances that face us such as state systematic rigging, voter intimidation, spiraling economic meltdown the issue of unity is unimportant in the scheme of things. If Mutambara is confident enough that he can get Zimbabwe's vote and lead then, let the battle begin. As for Tsvangirai led MDC the people remain resolute in their demand for a new Zimbabwe . All corners of Zimbabwe are agog with the rising national chorus for a free and fair plebiscite. MDC is committed. MDC is ready to govern. We are ready to serve the people of Zimbabwe . This is the time.
4 comments:
Sure lets debate this sad development more!
Rev M S Hove.
www.zimfinalpush.blogspot.com
Mutambara is a brilliant guy no doubt but he joined the wrong camp
Quite an interesting article Mr Izzy Mutanhaurwa clearly coming from one side of the MDC division. Im saddened however with your myopic views concerning unity.
Unity by its nature demands a let go of held positions for the sake of progress, a case in point is unity between married partners, if each spouse holds on tightly to their views and positions then there can be no marriage but simply uniquely diverse persons sharing a close proximity.
The Mutambara faction is right in demanding former held positions as a beginning point otherwise whats the point of uniting only to be “given” a distict office ( Can you imagine Prof Ncube being a nobody in an MDC..cetainly absurd).Lets be careful of this word unity and not define it the Zanu pf way when they “united” with Pf Zapu, the proper term for that is swallowed.If you are truly interested in unity you ll be prepared to give in to some “luxuries”.Personally l believe people who suddenly found themselves with big posts like Spokesperson Nelson Chamisa, Grace Kwinjie (sic) and possibly yourself are the ones frustrating the unity because by agreeing to it they ll most likely lose their new found posts. Accept that there are powerful brains in the Mutambara faction that cannot be compared to nonentities that suddenly got posts in M.Ts faction ie Prof Mutambara, Prof Ncube, David Coltart etc who cannot be nobodies in MDC. Your excuse that progressive people remained in the “real” MDC is weak, because in the 1st place it was your leader who broke ranks with party constitution under the pretext of “ The People want….”, that sound s like a Zanu pf line.
Also do not forget that the Mutambara faction has more represantation in parly as we speak, so that’s a powerful negotiating position mind you..The masses that your faction claims to represent unfortunately are easily overpowered by Zanu Pf supporters in any election so that counts for nought ie Matabeland has fewer people than Mashonaland but its well known that ZANU PF will trounce you to pulp in those constituencies yet we can destroy Zanu anywhere in Matabeland.
But but but we should not over consider all these points anyway because unity is unity and should not have faces but ideologies, we should simply use competent candidates irrespective of their backgrounds.
Alfred
Harare
You also fail to understand that this is not UNITY as people who like to refer it to but more of a prodigal son come back home. Unity can only be applied to different parties with different views and ideology, i.e like the Zanu Pf and Pf Zapu case. In the case of Mutambara, Welshman Ncube and Company they are simply coming back to the fold and hence they should relinquish any ideas of walking back into their positions. The other thing, I am very suspect of Arthur who just days after Tsvangirai and other Civic leaders had been beaten, he said he would not stand against Morgan, for him to turn around now and say he will stand, what has changed. Nothing its no common secret that Welshman Ncube is a sellout, this might be a CIO operation meant to divide votes and bolster Zanu PF's position. the whole Mutambara faction is a CIO decoy meant to confuse Zimbabweans and divide the votes ahead of the planned 2008 elections.
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