By Ndaba Nhuku| If you are not politically tuned up, you will always allow someone to set the agenda.

This is what the MDC led by Nelson Chamisa did with Job “Wiwa” Sikhala’s rally speech.

It allowed Zanu to interpret it and use it the way it wants. As usual, MDC A waited to react.

Zanu is always setting the national agenda because the MDC A is not assertive, is slow at defending its own folks, waits to see how Zanu will react to issues.

MDC A, as the Opposition, must be setting the agenda. It must have visible people in Wiwa’s mould who are out there, assertively and forcefully challenging the government, challenging government policies, challenging government leaders’ conduct.

There is nothing as bad as having government setting the national agenda and Opposition reacting to it because this renders the Opposition useless.

It means the Opposition is the one being assessed, observed and corrected by the government instead of the opposite!!! It is the Opposition that should keep the government on its toes and not government keeping the Opposition defensive!!

In this case, the Opposition should have come out supporting Wiwa strongly, in unison.

For the Opposition to issue a statement alienating itself from Wiwa’s speech was a big blunder that actually silences its members from saying anything against government.

This is one of the reasons l am against the MDC A behaving like they are in power by demanding dialogue!! MDC A is an Opposition party that should be thirsty to replace Zanu, and not work with Zanu!! MDC A has no business calling for dialogue.

It is the government that is facing a crisis that should call for dialogue. MDC A is not in power and should not be there to rescue Zanu Pf.

By asking for dialogue, MDC A compromises itself as has now been seen! How can it oppose the government it wants to work with? How it can behave any different from MDC T led by Thokozani Khupe when it’s also dying to be included in government?

This issue is at the core of MDC A failure and especially those people who have been around Chamisa as unofficial advisors.

If MDC A longs to be in power, it must not allow itself to be turned into a reactionary party. Zanu has succeeded to turn MDC A into a reactionary party because it made it lack political substance, direction, agenda and focus.

A party can have a good vision but without a solid strategy to achieve its goals, it’s all myopic.

Zimbabwe is in trouble because MDC A has for too long given Zanu Pf the opportunity to survive in its chaos.

MDC A forcibly doesn’t challenge Zanu Pf on specific issues and doesn’t appeal to its huge support base when challenging Zanu Pf.

Wiwa did very well to challenge Zanu Pf in the midst of MDC A masses. That is what MDC A must be doing to set the agenda, to make the masses be with its leadership, to keep the masses mood opposed to Zanu Pf.

MDC A leadership need to be seen to be frustrated and angry with what is going on in the country, and that has to be done at rallies!! It is the masses that will overthrow a government!

Mnangagwa and Lacoste and Zimbabwe Defence Forces uses the masses’, anger to overthrow the former president Robert Mugabe and termed the illegal coup a “smart coup!”

That is how you use the masses to your advantage and not going meek when you want to be in power.

On the other hand it is ironic, ignorance if not downright stupid and divisive for some MDC A members who rightly support Wiwa, to turn against Luke Tamborinyoka, the party spokesman for issuing that statement distancing the party from Wiwa.

Luke is a mere party spokesperson whose job is to issue such statements whether he agrees with them or not!

Members should not abuse him for doing what he was appointed for. He doesn’t issue his own statements not sanctioned by party leadership.

If anyone at their point in time was to be criticised by such party members… for assertive and action oriented leadership, it is not Luke but Chamisa, the NEC and shadow cabinet!!

The Youth Assembly should also have forcefully come out defending Wiwa and asking the party to withdraw it’s statement. No point taking frustration on individual party appointees doing their job!

This is what destroys parties when people can’t do their tasks because praise singers won’t hold leadership accountable and instead target innocent party appointees.

The party mast be assertive enough to make Zanu Pf fear it instead of being a reactionary party existing on fear of being hounded by the government. MDCA must be holding the government accountable and not the other way round. This doesn’t however call for unnecessary recklessness on the part of leadership.

MDC-A must use advisors who don’t only have political vision, but are able to interpret national mood and frustration and use it to the advantage of the party.

An Opposition party must have attack dogs like Wiwa and calm faces who stabilise emotions. It must not be seen as a gentry club!! Wiwa’s case leaves it appearing as an elite party eager to go and work with government without causing and tension. Wiwa comes out as the only winner forcefully challenging a chaotic inept and corrupt regime using the language it survives on!!! The party alienated itself from the national anger against Zanu Pf failures, when Wiwa was trying to use that anger to its advantages.

I therefore stand with both Wiwa assertively speaking against Zanu Pf as a failed party, and Tamborinyoka for doing his job as a party spokesperson!