22 November 2008
THE revival of PF Zapu, now in full swing in Matabeleland, is likely to weaken both Zanu PF and the opposition Movement for Democratic Change in the region if managed properly, analysts said last week.
They said politicians who joined the country's two major parties from the former liberation movement that was swallowed up by Zanu PF after the signing of the Unity Accord had only sought a temporary political home.
Zanu PF, which is still smarting from its worst electoral performance in history, is battling a serious rebellion from structures mainly in Matabeleland where calls to break away from the unity accord continue to gather momentum.
Although the ruling party has played second fiddle to the MDC in the restive region since the opposition entered the political scene in 1999, it has won a number of constituencies in previous elections. It had also maintained structures in all the provinces with offices mainly taken over from PF Zapu.
Analysts said if PF Zapu was revived, this could result in the total collapse of Zanu PF in Matabeleland.
"The split is definitely going to erode both Zanu PF and MDC-T support in Matabeleland but the ruling party will suffer the most," said Jethro Mpofu, a Bulawayo-based analyst.
"If you look at the former Zapu people, there are those die-hards who took a break from politics after the signing of the Unity Accord and joined the MDC at its formation, and those who went to Zanu PF with reservations.
"The Zapu revivalists have a chance to tap into all those groups. So if carried out properly the revival will create a new political force, especially when those who are expected to form a unity government continue dilly-dallying."
Negotiations to set up a unity government between Zanu PF and MDC are currently stalled over the distribution of ministries and the dispute looks set to spill over to next year. The PF Zapu revivalists led by former Home Affairs Minister, Dumiso Dabengwa, say they are not happy with the September 15 power-sharing agreement between the two major parties.
The re-launch of the party that was once led by Vice-President Joshua Nkomo has been greeted by mass resignations of senior Zanu PF officials in Matabeleland and the Midlands. But Cont Mhlanga, who was part of the Zapu 2000 that rattled Zanu PF with calls for the review of the Unity Accord, said the revival of the party was ill- timed.
"It is good to see that there are people from Zanu PF who have finally responded to people's calls to pull out of the accord which did not benefit them," he said. "When we started Zapu 2000 these politicians said we were lost and now I am wondering if it was a matter of us being nine years ahead of time or them being nine years behind.
"The bottom line is that they have to answer questions like what were they doing in Zanu PF all along."
Gorden Moyo, the director of Bulawayo Agenda, fears the revived party might suffer the same fate as Simba Makoni's Mavambo/Kusile project as its backers would find it difficult to shed the Zanu PF tag.
"Their names are tarnished and their credentials are tattered," Moyo said. "I think they will face many hurdles because we saw that with people who tried to revive Zapu in the 1990s and were not tainted by Zanu PF, but still they found it very difficult.
"Already we have two parties calling themselves Zapu led by Agrippa Madlela and Sikhumbuzo Dube."
Makoni, who was viewed as one of the few popular leaders in Zanu PF, performed badly in the presidential election where he came behind MDC's Morgan Tsvangirai and Mugabe.
Analysts blamed Makoni's poor performance on his links with Zanu
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Sorry for the "cut & paste", but........
The question of the moment is: Could MDC-T "reach out" to ZAPU to form an alliance w/ ZAPU? Can former ZANU/ZAPU leaders be trusted? Is it possible for MDC-T to reach out to disaffected members of ZANU/ZAPU and offer to cooperate with them in a alternative Government of National Unity?
Yes, it would require ZANU-PF/Mugabe to step down - but how much tighter would the pressure be on ZANU-PF/Mugabe if such a coalition could be fashioned? It would truly back ZANU-PF/Mugabe into a corner, and a cornered rat ALWAYS fights....... but how could ZANU-PF/Mugabe actually resist such a coalition? How could they withstand the demands of the international community to finally resolve the difficulties in ZImbabwe when faced against such a wide-ranging coalition of opposition? Such an opposition would find much support in the West, in the U.N., at the AU and even in the SADC (they would be grateful for the choice!).
What if Tsvangirai offered cabinet seats to Mutambara AND a ZAPU leader - and maybe even Makoni to bring in some disaffected members of ZANU-PF? How could ZANU-PF/Mugabe possibly continue to deny the ongoing tragedy that is present day Zimbabwe with four such opposition groups united against ZANU-PF/Mugabe? Could NOT Tsvangirai claim to be the true leader of the country as Prime Minister by virtue of his support from MDC-T, MDC-M, ZAPU and Makoni/ZANU?
I hope MDC-T is closely evaluating the political calculus here....... Right now is the perfect time for MDC-T to "reach-out" to ZAPU, to forge a new "Unity" Agreement. MDC-T/MDC-M/ZAPU form a "United Front" to form a "Unity" Government - relegating ZANU-PF to minority status.
Such a possibility would further reduce the legitimacy of ZANU-PF/Mugabe by eroding his own party's standing. How would SADC treat Comrade Bob if ZAPU joined forces with MDC-T and other disaffected ZANU's like Simba Makoni? Wouldn't Tsvangirai, Mutambara, Debengawa & Makoni form a front that ZANU-PF/Mugabe could not possibly withstand? Wouldn't Tsvangirai (at the head of such a coaliton - DEMAND the respect of a Head of State? How frail and aged Comrade Bob would look to the international community when all four of these leaders (of disparate factions) stood against him? ZANU-PF's oly resort would be to impose martial law - and we all know how that would end at this point, don't we?
Furthermore, such a move would show to the rank and file of ZANU-PF that MDC-T was truly NOT on a witch hunt and was willing to join a government with "more realistic" factions of ZAPU (and ZANU-PF - maybe led by Makoni?) to show their dedication to the people of Zimbabwe to put their interests (and welfare) first before they set up a new round of elections? MDC-T would benefit by having a "Liberation" movement under it's "umbrella" - always nice to have when ZANU-PF/Mugabe accuses you of being a sell-out to the West!
People talk about reconciliation and reality in politics. Why can't MDC-T bring in people like the newly rechristened ZAPU and Simba Makoni and all of MDC-M to provide a United Front" against ZANU-PF/Mugabe's intransigence! If (and that's a BIG if) these opposed parties could provide a United Front in opposition to ZANU-PF/Mugabe -- then shouldn't the SADC and AU re-consider their positions?
The moment is now, MDC-T should announce their support of ZAPU's re-birth as a voice of democracy and freedom in Zimbabwe (to give ZAPU's efforts some legitimacy)! Not as a coalition "partner", but a "true" representative of "Liberation", and a party who is also sick of the devastation wrought on Zimbabwe by ZANU-PF. Lend moral support to ZAPU in their re-birth, develop official relations with them to legitimize their own revival and obtain their support against ZANU-PF/Mugabe and a new, post-liberation, beginning for ALL of Zimbabweans!
MDC-T should reach out to the resurrected ZAPU. The civil libertarian right of MDC-T combined with a post-revolutionary liberation organization like a reborn ZAPU could become exactly the solution of Zimbabwe's problems! A true government of National Unity and Transition! Feed the people, provide medical care and education for the people - not empty slogans like "Total Empowerment"!
That is the kind of government the people of Zimbabwe can support! That is the kind of "unity" that IS the unfulfilled promise of Zimbabwe unlike the tripe Comrade Bob told you at the time of independence!
"A government, of the people, by the people, for the people". MDC-T, MDC-M, ZAPU, ZANU/Makoni - a "United" Front, for a "United Zimbabwe".......... ZANU-PF/Mugabe need not apply...........