DEFECTIONS, LESSONS and REFLECTIONS

The Zimbabwean citizens have become accustomed to a particular trend, in the never ending festive of absurdities that has characterized MDC politics since the demise of Morgan Richard Tsvangirai in February 2018. A detailed recollection of what transpired, up to the Supreme Court Judgement of 2020 serves no purpose to this opinion piece. The long and short of it all is that the judgement once again split the MDC into two factions, the weaker one reconfiguring as the MDC-T, while the larger one continued to trend as the MDC- ALLIANCE. But to indulge the reader on the “particular trend” highlighted earlier, the drama that has seen counter claims of ownership of the party name, elected officials, party property, with Leaders crossing floors between the two factions, now distinct parties. Yet what has caught many by surprise, has been the defection to ZanuPF, of two big wigs from the two parties, Senator Temvious and Hon Blessed Chebundo, MDC stalwarts of repute, until recently.

Defections aren’t necessarily new, having indeed characterized local politics even before the advent of an independent Zimbabwean state. Both MDC and ZanuPF have over the years welcomed Leaders and members of the other party. Regardless, this opinion piece attempts to explain the latest defections, primarily looking at what this possibly means for the MDC-ALLIANCE led by Advocate Nelson Chamisa, now and going forward.

1.       1. POLITICAL POSITIONING

What is of immediate concern, at least for me, whenever defections occur, is a questioning of the political positioning of both those who defect, and those who welcome them. The question is also important in trying to generally understand our local politics in terms of what these institutions offer to the broader Zimbabwean body politick. I explain this positioning in terms of ideology; loyalty to a cause; and loyalty to a struggle.

a.      a.  Ideology

Most of the times, political ideology is taken for granted, yet it is the very foundation on which political identities are crafted.  It cannot be business as usual, when long-time members and leaders defect to a direct political opponent. An outsider immediately questions what pushed and pulled them to make such a decision. Speaking less speculatively, and perhaps going forward, the MDC-ALLIANCE, should introspect, and question itself, in terms of the individuals it parades as its Leadership, and “founders”. You can’t “found” MDC and later on “join” that which you had “found” the MDC to oppose and replace. It questions the institutional ideologically positioning, or lack-thereof. There is need to invest in teaching the MDC-ALLIANCE to ensure that both its the Leadership and membership are ideologically uncompromising. With an internalized institutional ideology, floor-crossing and defections are unjustifiable. Even the receiving party would be weary of being ideologically and politically contaminated.

b.      b. Loyalty to the cause

It’s equally important that both the Leadership and membership exhibit loyalty to the cause, beyond expressing undying loyalty to the Leader. Towards the MDC-ALLIANCE Gweru Congress, some, including myself, expressed concern over how some Leaders were uttering campaign pronouncements that were beginning to make Advocate Nelson Chamisa look like he feared contestations. Whereas students of history long concluded that Nelson Chamisa would eventually replace Morgan Tsvangirai, some in his Leadership made him look like he needed to be handheld, yet the exact opposite was true. In essence, it was they themselves who needed to be handheld. Its not surprising that all three former MDC-ALLIANCE leaders who lost the VP race (Mudzuri, Komichi, Timveous) have left since left the party. One wonders what it is that they were offering in the first instance. The same goes for Mwonzora and Mashakada who lost the Secretary and Treasurer General posts respectively. Loyalty to the cause outlives change of Leadership. I find it confusing that ZanuPF would see an ally in Blessing Chebundo. In a space of 3 years, Hon Blessing Chebundo has been a Parliamentary candidate for the MDC-ALLAINCE (2018), MDC-ALLIANCE National Executive Member (2019) a Parliamentary hopeful (2020 MDC-AALIANCE primary elections), MDC-T Secretary for Local Government (2021) and now ZanuPF member. How do you decided to accommodate such a character? Where does his loyalty stand?  

c.       c. Loyalty to the struggle

Any student of history would find it extremely odd for an individual to “defect” to ZanuPF, from any MDC. The political relationship between the two has been that of acrimony and rancour, a consequence of how ZanuPF has used State resource to descend on the strongest opposition it has faced since 1999, with no sense of humanity no remorse. Those who have associated with MDC politics, especially during the early 2000s, have horrendous stories of how they suffered at the hand of “the system”. Little has happened to show a state ruling party that now embraces the existence of an opposition party that is a threat to its hegemony. It’s understandable for one to retire, not join ZanuPF. It defies all political logic, especially coming from those who had been fronting the struggle. Again, it’s an area the MDC-ALLIANCE needs to look at, least it continues housing individuals who are easily compromised.

2. RENEWAL

Twenty one years is a long time in Opposition politics. Many of have invested and lost so much, which perhaps makes their selfish decisions somewhat understandable. Most of these politicians are now working on their retirement and exit packages and should be allowed to, as the movement self-cleanses. Most aren’t oblivious to the realities facing their political careers, where a young generation is rising. A generation which is tired of yesteryear politics of rally bum-shaking. This generation now wants to lead. The warning shots were there for instance, when then MDC-T Vice President, Engineer Elias Mudzuri castigated his party for allowing primary elections in his constituency. He found it disrespectfully, more so because he was being contested by what he termed “vana (kids)”. Hon Chebundo himself defected to the MDC-T after losing MDC-ALLIANCE primarily elections (ironically to a female MDC-A Youth Assembly Leader), for the vacant Kwekwe Central seat, which he perhaps feels he owns. Such have been the reactions of the old guard to the calls for renewal.

In this context, some of these defections should rightfully be understood in the context of internal renewal. Someone once said, “When you start something which no one can finish, you have not done anything”. Sadly, the tragedy of African politics is the lack of an appetite to groom new leaders, with most preferring that the proverbial torch dims together with setting of their own political sun. History yet, has shown that there cannot be growth without renewal.

Within the MDC-ALLIANCE, the very rise of Nelson Chamisa resulted in the unsettled old guard deciding to reconfigure elsewhere, in the ruins and remains of the political carcass they call the MDC-T. Their frustrations were compounded by seemingly deliberate efforts made by the new carpenter to find new tools. After so many years of senseless internal bickering, this was necessary. The MDC-ALLIANCE cannot continue to rely on the core leadership that founded the MDC in 1999, when most are already beginning to exhibit battle fatigue. The consequences of political nature will inevitably turn them into a liability. This is a political reality which most political institutions choose to ignore. No-one should be pushed out, but those who have been in for long, should groom others and then gracefully bow out.

Renewal within the MDC-ALLIANCE gives it a quality that cannot be offered by those who have been around for so many years. What has become evident now is that the splits occurring have nothing to do with ideology. The differences have become personal, and have been cultivated over the years. When you eventually have a “new” Leader occupying a strategic position, their politics cannot be misunderstood as being personal, for they do not relate to the personal differences amongst most of the so called founding leaders and members. In fact, on social media, you rarely find members of the MDC-ALLIANCE Youth Assembly involving themselves in “chinhu-chedu” politics. They do not relate to this toxicity, and are rather fixated on current Zimbabwean challenges.

3. INFLITRATION

I’m certain that for some MDC-ALLIANCE faithfulls, the defections were interpreted in the sense of party infiltrations. This has been a concern for both Morgan Tsvangirai, and his political successor, Nelson Chamisa. In one conversation, Nelson Chamisa bemoans the tragedy of ZanuPF always becoming aware of most of their plans towards 2018 elections, before their internal meetings even ended. After an inquiry on whether or not he would consider reintegration with the Mwonzora group sometime in the future, in his usual, poetic and comical (yet hopeful and cautious) self, Nelson Chamisa warns “reintegration can result in reinfection”. This has been an honest concern. So much has been said, in terms of how these infiltrators can and should be weeded out.

Unfortunately, it’s one of those things easier said than done. And if such efforts are not carefully executed, some may abuse them as weapons to fight internal party power struggles. The last thing a Leader needs is consistently hearing whispers that so and so are “infiltrators”, especially in the absence of concrete evidence. The institution risks being internally focused. Regardless, investing in internal intelligence is important. But perhaps what would be even more important is infiltrating opponents.

4. INTERNAL FRUSTRATION

Its however foolhardy and hare-brained to simply ignore and rubbish the possible effects of these defection. There is an important distinction between the “possible effect” and the actual effect. Whereas the MDC publicly shows a brave political face, the attacks it has suffered at the hands of MDC-T and the brains of ZanuPF are a nuisance that cannot be dismissed as a non-event. These attacks have slowed the MDC-ALLAINCE down, and threaten a mortal punch unless decisive corrective action is taken. Some supporters, and indeed some Leaders have grown frustrated by the party’s response, or lack-thereof, to the spirited efforts towards totally dismembering it. At face value, it sends a worrying message when a whole Deputy Treasurer General joins ZanuPF. It’s equally confusing, to explain how Blessing Chebundo, the famous “shumba yaMnangangwa” can suddenly decide to join the man he embarrassed in Kwekwe, twice. You would think Mnangagwa is electorally placed to be the one joining Chebundo.

Whereas this is just but another way of explaining defections, I fear most are choosing to ignore it. MDC-ALLIANCE is now being politically projected as having no immediate response to its political challenges, to the extent of having some within its core Leadership pursuing the old battle wisdom that “if you cannot beat them, join them”. ZanuPF knows that there is little to know chance, of them convincing most urbanites to dumb MDC-ALLIANCE for the ruling party. Alternatively, ZanuPF, after seeing that it cannot “eat” into the support base Chamisa is guaranteed of, is now trying to make it inedible. This will be achieved in two ways, firstly by convincing this support base that “elections don’t change governments in Zimbabwe”. The second plan involves cultivating disgruntlement in opposition politics altogether, or at the very least, in the popular Leader(s). There is indeed a section of voters on social media, few as they seem, who now express a defeatist attitude of disgruntlement. Such defections only compound their worst fears. It’s self-serving to ridicule and rubbish this section of followers.

ZanuPF knows that Senator Timveous and Blessing Chebundo offer no electoral capital, in terms of attracting meaningful votes. They take no significant support with them, the same way Mashayambombe and Bhasikhiti didn’t win when they defected to the MDC-ALLIANCE. Their only usefulness is providing certain political optics, that of a MDC-ALLIANCE on fire. This explains why Senator Timveous is suddenly a political bigwig in ZanuPF propaganda circles, and why Blessing Chebundo is deliberately being mischaracterised as having came straight from MDC-ALLIANCE, yet he long defected to MDC-T. Promoting this narrative is the only reason why these two were welcomed at State House by the highest ZanuPF political delegation, comprising of its First and Second secretaries, its National Chairman, its Midlands State Minister, with only VP Mohadi being the one conspicuous by his absence, as he has understandably been busy doing the devil’s work.

Conclusion

The interpretation of the defections and general challenges affecting the MDC-ALLIANCE can be explained multi-dimensionally. All these political development should always attract introspection by an institution worth its salt. Where something can be learnt, so be it. Where it should be a cause for celebration, again, so be it. Yet as the MDC-ALLIANCE takes stock and internally focuses, its important never to lose sight of the ball. It’s still ZanuPF.

 

enkosi!!