By Patrick Guramatunhu- The people of Zimbabwe have risked life and limb to elect MDC leaders to implement the democratic changes to end the Zanu PF dictatorship. After 22 years, 5 of which in the 2008 to 2013 GNU, MDC leaders have failed to implement even one token democratic change. Not even one token change! 

“Takatumira mapete kumukaka; haadzoki!” (If you send cockroaches to fetch milk, they will never return!)

All attempts to engage MDC leaders to talk about the implementation of meaningful democratic reforms have been rebuffed and all they want to talk about is participating in flawed and illegal elections for their share of the spoils of power. And they are very vocal about being short changed on their share of the spoils!

“Caston Matewu (former Marondera Central MP), who was elected on an MDC Alliance ticket (recalled following High Court ruling that Chamisa’s seizure of power in 2018 was unconstitutional), yesterday made public his benefits on social media platforms, revealing that he received $6 290 (US$40) for the two years that he had served as MP,” reported NewsDay.

“Over 20 other affected MPs confirmed having received measly pensions, ranging from $6 000 to $12 000, depending on the debts they had incurred during their tenure.

“The MPs are also set to lose the luxury vehicles issued to them as part of their parliamentary benefits.”

The people of Zimbabwe would have some sympathy for these MDC leaders if the party had something to show for all the party’s 22 years on the political stage, especially the wasted golden opportunity of the 2008 to 2013 to implement the reforms. 

Indeed, not only have MDC leaders failed to implement any reforms in 22 years but to add insult to injury, ever since the 2008 to 2013 GNU debacle, they have given up on the reforms in favour of pursuing their selfish “cockroach” interests. MDC leaders have been participating in flawed and illegal elections and thus giving the vote rigging Zanu PF legitimacy for the sake of the few gravy train seats Zanu PF dangled in their faces.

“The worst aspect for me about the failure to agree a coalition was that both MDCs couldn’t now do the obvious – withdraw from the elections,” confessed David Coltart in his book, The Struggle Continues 50 years of Tyranny in Zimbabwe.

“The electoral process was so flawed, so illegal, that the only logical step was to withdraw, which would compel SADC to hold Zanu PF to account. But such was the distrust between the MDC-T and MDC-N that neither could withdraw for fear that the other would remain in the elections, winning seats and giving the process credibility.”

It was just a feeble excuse for participating in the 2013 elections because four of the main MDC factions plus three other opposition parties did form the MDC Alliance and yet they still participated in the 2018 elections. 

Right now, Nelson Chamisa and his MDC A friends and the rest of the usual opposition opportunists are all gearing to participating in the 2023 elections when “the obvious” thing to do would be to boycott the elections and deny Zanu PF the legitimacy. 

With the country’s economy is in total meltdown, education and health care and other basic services have collapsed and 49% of our people now live in abject poverty; the need for democratic change, an end to rigged elections and bad governance is more urgent now than ever.

The nation is standing at the edge of the precipitous abyss and it is most exasperating that the men and women the nation has risked life and limb to deliver change are the ones keeping Zanu PF in power in perpetuate! 

The people of Zimbabwe are desperate for meaningful change, they should have realised by now that the MDC men and women they entrusted to bring about the changes were corrupt and breathtakingly incompetent. They have found the trappings of power irresistible and forgot about the democratic changes and the tragic human suffering of ordinary people. 

If the people of Zimbabwe are serious about democratic change, ending the curse of rigged elections and bad governance; then they must first accept that MDC leaders are not going to deliver any change. The MDC leaders are the proverbial cockroaches that were send to fetch milk, they gorged on the milk and never returned!