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Is the MDC a sinking titanic?
Daniel Molokele
June 05, 2005

http://www.newzimbabwe.com/pages/fortune38.12728.html

THESE are indeed trying and testing times for Zimbabwe's official opposition party, the Movement for Democratic Change. (MDC). Never have the dark clouds of doubts and uncertainty covered the future prospects of the party as it is now. Never have the deep waves of gloom and doom engulfed its ranks and files as they have at this moment and time.

As I write all indications are to such effect that the MDC seems to be suffering from a serious bout of a crisis of confidence and purpose.

Indeed if truth must be told, the MDC is going through probably its roughest patch since it was formed in 1999. The party appears so stranded as if overwhelmed by the challenges besetting it. One would be forgiven for assuming that the MDC is now suffering from some form of paralysis of analysis, hence the apparent levels of inertia when it comes to its position vis-à-vis the way forward for Zimbabwe.

The people of Zimbabwe are saying they have suffered long enough. They are saying they cannot endure anymore the pain and suffering that Zanu-PF has unleashed upon them over the past few years. Many are saying that the time has come to cast the die and take a last stand against the Robert Mugabe led regime. Some are even demanding that the regime be confronted head on, in a no-holds barred collision process!

But who can blame the voices of despair emanating from the many broken hearts of Zimbabwe? Indeed who can dare rebuke the voices of anger and cries for an end of relentless torture, hunger and pain that have been the daily bread of many millions of Zimbabweans in recent years?

It is now common knowledge that Zimbabwe is presently undergoing its worst socio-economic crisis in its entire modern history. The levels of poverty have heightened to unparalleled levels of late. Some recent estimates insist that more than 65% of Zimbabweans now live below the international poverty datum line. Other estimates now peg the unemployment rates at 80%. Then there are the HIV-AIDS infection estimates that have confirmed that the nation has one of the highest infection rates in the entire planet.

It is no wonder that by reason of the foregoing, many Zimbabweans now prefer to live anywhere but in their home country. Studies have shown that the nation is no longer merely suffering from a 'brain drain' syndrome. Many are leaving the country irregardless of their professional skills and qualifications. The recent introduction and acceptance of the 'Diaspora' concept bears undeniable testimony to that reality.

As I write, it is estimated that there are now at least four million Zimbabweans living abroad. This is an astounding figure when once considers that the fact that the official estimates of the national population are pegged at less than twelve million. That in simple arithmetic terms means that one in every four Zimbabweans now live in exile.

But perhaps even more critical is the mere fact that had it not been for the introduction of more stringent visa systems, the overflow of Zimbabweans could have been much higher! It does not need a rocket scientist to appreciate the fact that given an option of choice, a lot more Zimbabweans would prefer to leave the crisis riddled country with immediate effect.

Further to that, the regime has now compounded the dire situation by unleashing more terror and misery among its own poor urban majorities. The recent launch of the police and military crackdowns have depleted whatever little hopes and expectations still remained among the nation's majorities for a better tomorrow.

The inaptly named twins of evil (Operation Restore Hope and Marambatsvina) should have been better off with such names as El Nino, Tsunami, Cyclone et cetera. This is so when one considers the highly destructive nature of their impact on the lives of many ordinary Zimbabweans.

The fact that Mugabe is busy having fun while basking in the sun has now been further confirmed by the revelations that he has ordered the Parliament to reopen sooner than expected so as to ensure that it enacts the new Senate law expeditiously.

The net effect of that is that we might see the remaining MDC MPs sheepishly reporting for duty in Parliament. They will of course bark loud against the new Senate law but Mugabe will remain undaunted. He surely knows that their bark that in fact sounds like a puppy whimper is worse than their bite. Indeed, the MDC MPs can best be described as toothless bulldogs.

The reality we all have to face is that it will be business as usual for Mugabe's parliament. The senate law will soon be enacted and a new travellers coach will be added on the gravy train to accommodate more of Mugabe's cronies. Life will go on as if there is no opposition in parliament or elsewhere in Zimbabwe for that matter!

All that the MDC leadership continue do is to issue more press statements and host more press conferences. All they have to say is that the people of Zimbabwe will rise on their own against such a brutal regime! All they have to do is to file more urgent court applications to an already discredited justice system!

Surely it appears as if the MDC has run out of ideas. Mugabe would be forgiven for now for toasting to the party's political demise. Raymond Majongwe could be absolved for calling the MDC leaders a bunch of cowards and opportunists! Someone else could be pardoned for thinking of the MDC as a sinking titanic.

This is because to all practical purposes and intents, it seems the MDC has now become a rudderless ship and surely, it might sink at any time from now!

*Daniel Molokele is a lawyer and a former student leader. He is currently based in Johannesburg, South Africa. His column appears on www.newzimbabwe.com every Monday. Contact Daniel by e-mail: danielmolokele@yahoo.co.uk

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