By Patrick Guramatunhu- “MDC National Spokesperson Fadzai Mahere has condemned the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission for alleging failing to investigate the Coronavirus tender scam that has sucked in Minister of Health Obadiah Moyo,” reported a local publication.
“The fiery spokesperson also took aim at the government for using state apparatus to block people from getting into CBD to attend parliamentary hearings on the constitutional amendment.”
“The real issue before us is that corruption is killing us!” proclaimed Mahere.
No one would disagree with that; corruption is indeed killing Zimbabwe and that it is Zanu PF thugs who are behind the looting. We have known this for decades! The key point is what can we do to end corruption?
It has been as clear as day that as long as Zanu PF was able to rig the elections and stay in power the looting will only get worse. So the challenge was to implement the democratic reforms designed to stop Zanu PF rigging elections.
The people of Zimbabwe have risked life and limb to elect Morgan Tsvangirai and his MDC colleagues into power on the understanding that they will implemented the democratic reforms. They had their best opportunity ever to implement the reforms during the 2008 to 2013 GNU.
They failed to get even one reform implemented because Mugabe bribed them with ministerial limos, very generous salaries and allowances, a US$4 million mansion for Tsvangirai, etc., etc. With their snouts in the feeding trough MDC leaders to the man and woman forgot about the reforms for five years!
Of course, MDC leaders sold-out on reforms and have been doing so ever since the GNU.
SADC leaders begged, literally, Tsvangirai and his MDC friends not to participate in the 2013 elections without first implementing the reforms. “If you go into elections next month, you are going to lose; the elections are done!” SADC leaders told Tsvangirai and company during the SADC Summit in Maputo, according to Dr Ibbo Mandaza, the director of SAPES, who was there.
Needless to say Tsvangirai and company ignored SADC leaders’ warning and participated in the 2013 elections with no reforms. Needless to add, that Zanu PF blatantly rigged those elections.
Not only did MDC leaders know that with no reforms Zanu PF will rig the elections but worse still they knew by participating they will be giving credibility to the process and thus legitimacy to the Zanu PF government. They still went ahead regardless out of greed, as David Coltart admitted in this book.
In his Book, The Struggle Continues 50 years of Tyranny in Zimbabwe, David Coltart, former MDC – Ncube Senator and Minister of Education in the 2008 GNU, gave details of how Zanu PF was flouting the electoral rules in the upcoming 2013 elections. It was clear the elections would not be free, fair and credible.
“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,” wrote Senator Coltart.
“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.”
If anyone thought MDC leaders and the rest in the opposition camp had finally learned the lesson on the critical importance of implementing the democratic reforms to ensure free, fair and credible elections; he/she was wrong. The MDC leaders’ greed has blinded their eyes and made their minds impermeable to reason.
Chamisa and the whole Zimbabwe opposition entourage were falling over each other to participate in the 2018 elections although it was as clear as bell that Zanu PF was rigging the elections.
“MDC has devised stringent measures to stop Zanu PF rigging the elections!” Chamisa countered those arguing the opposition must not take part in the elections without reforms.
Once again Zanu PF blatantly rigged the 2018 elections. Of course, MDC was totally helpless to stop the rigging. Indeed, Chamisa et al did not even insist on the production of a verified voters’ roll – a legal and common sense requirement!
“Zanu PF corruption is killing us!” True, but that is only half the story. The other half is “MDC greed is keeping Zanu PF in power!” For as long as MDC participation in rigged elections helps Zanu PF claim some modicum of legitimacy Mnangagwa and company will remain in office and the wholesale looting will continue.
Mnangagwa knows that as long as Zanu PF continues to offer a few gravy-train seats to the opposition Chamisa et al will participate in the elections regardless how flawed and illegal the process gets!
If Zimbabweans want the democratic reforms implemented so the country can finally have free, fair and credible elections and good governance; they must wake-up to the reality that MDC leaders are now interested in sharing with Zanu PF the spoils of power and have long abandoned the hope of implementing the reforms. MDC leaders are now running with hare, whilst they are seeking povo’s vote, but once in power they will hunt with the Zanu PF hounds!