Tsvangirai faces tough choices

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OUTGOING PM Morgan Tsvangirai has made sensational claims that Zanu PF is making overtures to accommodate him and his formation of the MDC in some form of a new government of national unity.

OUTGOING Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai has made sensational claims that Zanu PF is making overtures to accommodate him and his formation of the MDC in some form of a new government of national unity.

Southern Eye Editorial

Addressing party faithfuls at the burial of one of his cadrés, Rebecca Mafukeni, Tsvangirai claimed Zanu PF was dangling a senior government post for him, ostensibly to coax the MDC-T leader to abandon his court challenges against President Robert Mugabe’s controversial re-election.

While the claims are debatable, it is our submission that Zanu PF would want some level of legitimacy of the election outcome by accommodating Tsvangirai and, therefore, ensure that the government to be formed focuses on delivery.

This will also create a semblance of political stability in Zimbabwe which will allow the next government to be fully acceptable at international level. This arrangement will confirm what others have always been referring to as a second government of national unity with Zanu PF clearly holding the power, but willing to accommodate other political players.

Tsvangirai cannot challenge the election results in court while at the same time accepting to be involved in the new government.

But our free advice is that he has to be decisive and choose the one option he and the party needs to pursue.

However, this puts the embattled MDC-T leader in a political quandary. We do not see his party being unanimous on the options at Tsvangirai’s disposal. There will always be contentions to whichever direction the party takes. Expecting fresh polls is unrealistic.

Already the High Court has reserved judgment in the MDC-T case to force the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission to release some information and data, which is critical for their Constitutional Court challenge.

If Tsvangirai and the MDC-T dig in, they must also realise that they will be fighting against a massive onslaught. Slowly the world is moving to accept Mugabe’s re-election. African countries will endorse Mugabe. Some Western countries will continue to challenge the outcome, but over time that will fizzle out without any form of traction.

So the MDC-T must realise that any continued pursuance of their challenge will over the next couple of months become inconsequential.

They must also not over-invest in the court challenge and take their eye from accepting the political reality and, therefore, begin to prepare for the 2018 elections early enough, while addressing the internal weaknesses that have contributed to their electoral loss.