Correspondent|MDC vice president Elias Mudzuri has said the party he belongs to has failed the people of Zimbabwe and “needs to do more than give excuses” that they are not in power. He also said the MDC was failing in its role of keeping ZANU-PF in check, saying that “we lack that patriotic spirit.”
The Harvard-trained Mudzuri, speaking in an interview with weekly paper the Standard, also said the MDC risked becoming irrelevant to the people of Zimbabwe if it fails to redefine its role.
“Our election promises were as a result biased towards a win. So far I believe as a party we have failed our members and the nation at large. We are not the government of the day. We are not in power and so there is a limit to what we can deliver through Parliament and councils.
“In Parliament we do not enjoy a majority. The urban councils we control have not been spared by the downsliding economy of Zimbabwe. I, however, think we have to think outside the box and not be handcuffed by excuses. We have to do better and we owe it to Zimbabweans to do better,” Mudzuri said.
Asked if the MDC was playing its role of keeping the ruling party in check, Mudzuri said: “My view is we are not playing the proper role of an opposition party and that we lack that patriotic spirit for our country.
“Yes, we have our reservations on how the elections were held, but I still think we must be rational and be able to see to it that the welfare of our people takes priority ahead of everything. People are suffering and there is need for all Zimbabweans to be united and to work together for the good of the nation.
“We can lead and serve our people, even without state power if we do our things well. As I said before, we don’t have a two-thirds majority in Parliament.
“It makes our job harder and more challenging, but the job can be done without doubt. We can pressure Zanu PF in and outside of Parliament. Our MPs, senators, councillors have to up the ante by upping their game.
“We have to be sharp and keep our eyes on the ball at all times, avoiding distracting side shows. History will judge us harshly if we do not keep Zanu PF in a pressure cooker.”
Mudzuri also said the opposition party needed to redefine its role or else run the risk of becoming irrelevant in Zimbabwean politics.
“We need to redefine our role as the opposition party in Zimbabwe so as to remain relevant to the needs of our people. We must put the needs of our people and country ahead of our needs as leaders, both in government and in the opposition. It’s easier to find solutions when there’s comprehensive dialogue among the people about our challenges as a nation.”