The Sunday Mail
Garikai Mazara
Online News Editor
As largely expected, the MDC-Alliance arranged demonstration on Friday failed to tickle any imagination. Quite a handful of protesters congregated in the central business district and were duly dispersed by police after the High Court ruled against the demonstration.
The failure of the demonstration clearly puts into perspective the shortcomings of the opposition party, which has suffered numerous defeats against Zanu-PF since its formation in 1999, when it comes to its mobilising abilities.
Patriotic fervour runs through the November 2017 demonstrations, organised by Zanu-PF, which saw Robert Mugabe resigning three days later
Contrast Friday’s ill-advised and poorly planned demonstration against any of the previous such gatherings that were organised by Zanu-PF and you get an appreciation of the gulf in mobilising prowess between the two parties.
Take for instance the November 18, 2017 mass demonstration that resulted in the capitulation of the Mugabe regime, and contrast it with the helter-skelter that was Friday’s event.
For example, in the November 2017 demonstrations, which captured the imagination of the whole world, the Zanu-PF leadership led from the front, taking turns to address the gathered crowd at Zimbabwe Grounds in Highfield, on what the demonstration meant for the country, as well informing the nation on the way forward.
The MDC-Alliance’s Tendai Biti addresses the media at the High Court in Harare, Friday morning. The opposition party’s leadership hardly leads from the front
From the Zimbabwe Grounds, the crowds, probably the biggest ever gathering in Harare – multi-racial in complexion as well – moved to central Harare and towards State House.
Because Zanu-PF had a united vision, and a united voice, the gathering was as disciplined. Even the atmosphere and the camaraderie within the crowd was heart-warming. Not even a stone was thrown on the day. Not even a person was injured.
In fact, it was a merry-making jamboree.
Fast-forward eight months later and the MDC-Alliance organised their August 1 demonstrations, to “force” the Zimbabwe Election Commission to announce the July 31 election results. Violence was the order of the day and lives were, unfortunately, lost.
Friday’s demonstration, typical of MDC-Alliance organised demos, had unruly behaviour written all over
What made it even worse is that some of those who lost their lives had nothing to do with the demonstration. Another six months later, the MDC-Alliance was to organise another demonstration, this time to protest against the rising cost of living.
Anarchy reigned supreme and other lives were also lost, unnecessarily as well.
Besides the violence streak which pervades the MDC-Alliance organised demonstrations, a glaring feature is the absence of the MDC leadership from the frontline of things, choosing to entice their “stupid” followers into the demonstrations and watching the unfolding events from a distance. From a hideout.
Tellingly, on Friday, the MDC-Alliance leaders were nowhere to be seen near the demonstrations, choosing the comfort of Harvest House to watch their followers doing “Temple Run” in the CBD.
In the Zanu-PF organised November 2017 demonstrations, Harare virtually came to a standstill
Besides appearing at the High Court in the morning, where its urgent application was dismissed, the crest-fallen leaders were to appear later in the afternoon at some venue in Milton Park, arguing that the battle is yet to be won.
And nowhere near their demonstrating “stupid” followers. Kind reminder, it was none other than Nelson Chamisa, in the aftermath of the August 2018 demonstrations, who called his own followers, stupid. No-one else by Chamisa.
The demonstrations aside, the MDC-Alliance has suffered defeat after defeat in a number of by-elections that have taken place since the general plebiscite of July 2018.
Though the MDC has been quick to apportion the defeats to lack of funding, which is quite a convenient excuse, political observers and analysts would be prudent to point out that the party’s mobilising energy is nowhere near that of Zanu-PF.
The sooner Nelson Chamisa, and the MDC-Alliance, realises that votes are not on the streets of Harare nor on social media, the better they might perform in general and by-elections
If it had been Zanu-PF which had organised Friday’s demonstrations, chances are the whole country would have turned out in full support and in full attendance. Zanu-PF simply has that “it” when it comes to mobilising strategies.
In the July 2018 elections, the opposition party cried that it had been robbed, but in the ensuing by-elections, it has been rout after rout. If they were robbed in July 2018, why haven’t they plugged the loopholes 12 months later, loopholes which might have helped Zanu-PF to rob them in the by-elections?
The opposition has maintained a heavy presence on social media, of which the majority of those on those platforms are not in the country but in the Diaspora. In relation, the opposition has grounded its campaign strategy on the same platforms, when in essence the voters want tangible interactions on the ground.
Even people with disabilities have the right to demonstrate in this November 2017 Zanu-PF organised event
If the opposition maintains that approach, a social media inclined approach, without touching base with the electorate, then the results for 2023 might as well be announced now.
Wherein Zanu-PF plays its ball game differently, it has people-centred and results-oriented approaches, hence the results, either in the general or by-elections, are there for everyone to see.
Come 2023, the opposition will still cry foul, that they had been robbed, yet they have had five years from 2018, to prepare, plus a sprinkling of defeats in-between to address their shortcomings.
Whilst marriages of convenience are a free liberty in the country, for as long as the MDC gets into bed with the so-called not-for-profit organisations whose theme and lifeline is drawing donor money, for as long as the objectives and ideals of the opposition are not home-grown desires and aspirations, it might as well kiss goodbye to relevance in this country.
Identifying with national symbols during the November 2017 Zanu-PF organised demonstrations
Granted, the country is going through economic challenges and the President, in his several addresses to the nation, has not made this a secret. In fact, every well-meaning citizen is aware of the challenges that the country is going through.
And the President, besides asking the citizenry to be resilient in the face of the obtaining economic challenges, has opened his arms and heart to dialogue, a move which has been spurned several times by Chamisa and his party.
Peace-loving citizens have been dumbfounded why Chamisa – and the MDC-Alliance – seem not to be keen on engaging Zanu-PF and its leadership.
Questions have equally been raised why the MDC-Alliance, especially in the House of Assembly, asks the Government to honour its financial pledge to political parties through the relevant statutory instruments, pester the Government for provisions and luxuries like service vehicles, improved accommodation allowances, diplomatic passports, inter alia other demands, then sing the legitimacy tune when it becomes convenient.
Potpourri . . . The November 2017 demonstration in Harare
That is the double-faced sword that the MDC-Alliance has been turning in its back, speak with one voice today and in another tomorrow.
If the party is as concerned about the welfare of the general citizenry, as they always claim, why not get to the dialogue table and discuss the issues affecting the nation? Why grand-stand?
That Harare was closed for the greater part of Friday, how does that improve the economic well-being of the nation? How does that translate into “democracy”?
Everyone is looking forward to a day when Zimbabwe will be free of economic pains, a day when Zimbabweans can walk into any bank and withdraw their money, a day when the prices of all commodities will remain stable for a considerable time.
That day will only come when we all put our heads together as Zimbabweans, and be united by the same umbilical cord of being Zimbabwean.
But for as long as our direction, ethos, morals and dictates are coming from some foreign land, we will remain just that, puppets of the West.
