DURING the July 31 2013 general elections campaign, I spent two months campaigning door-to-door in Pumula. I was campaigning to be ward 27 councillor.
Almost everyone I met was worried about the lack of unity by MDC parties saying it was almost impossible for a divided MDC to dislodge Zanu PF from power. Presenting different versions of MDC was strongly opposed by voters.
I would try to persuade them, but they would end up promising to vote us, but their body language would betray them; nothing short of reunification of MDC’s was acceptable.
The election results confirmed what the electorate feared as the disjointed MDC failed dismally to remove Zanu PF.
What the electorate advocated for was not as easy as one would think.
A lot of issues had to be addressed first, issues like what caused the 2005 split in the first place.
That question needed answers first before trying to re unify these formations which were now fully fledged political parties.
Violence, political patronage, tribalism, disregard of collective decision-making which was all borrowed from Zanu PF by some of MDC leaders who grew up in it. Therefore, cries of re uniting the party were heard but difficult to implement due to the reasons stated above.
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To quote from the Bible, the spirit was willing to unite but the flesh was weak owing to the past experiences of intra party violence and dictatorship tendencies.
The Mandel national council meeting resolutions which suspended the top MDC-T leadership including the then president Morgan Tsvangirai gave a glimpse of hope to Zimbabweans as among other resolutions it called for the unification of two MDCs and working together with other democratic forces to form a strong and united democratic party.
The MDC-Renewal team leaders who are spearheading this reunifications of the MDC parties are known doyens of democracy, tried and tested leaders especially during the inclusive government which brought sanity and stability in the country.
The mere mention of these leaders’s names, Tendai Biti, Gorden Moyo, Samuel Sipepa Nkomo, Elton Mangoma, Lucia Matibenga and their counterparts in MDC, Welshman Ncube, David Coltart, Priscilla Misihairambwi-Mushonga and Moses Mzila Ndlovu brings smiles to many as they put more than 100% effort in trying to reconstruct the country which was then practically ruins.
David Coltart would always be remembered for bringing the teachers back to the classrooms and also sourcing textbooks for students.
Even the just ended Region 5 Games were brought to Bulawayo owing to Senator Coltart’s effort.
Mtshabezi water pipeline which was long a pipe dream was finally finished during Nkomo’s tenure as minister of water resources when his predecessors merely played politics without putting much effort to bring water to Bulawayo by finishing the pipeline.
It also took Ncube to find investors for the giant steelmaker Ziscosteel. As Industry and Commerce minister, Ncube worked very hard and brought Indian investors for the giant steelmaker only to be sabotaged by those who wanted brown envelops from investors.
Ncube also created Dimaf to cater for the ailing companies . As finance minister honourable Tendai Biti was the de factor Prime minister of Zimbabwe as his financial policies and priorities helped changed the economy for the better.
Moyo is the first minister to discover salarygate in parastatals and he raised the alarm.
He did his best to bring back professionalism in parastatals.
Misihairambwi-Mushonga’s ministry worked very hard to try and normalise relations with the international community.
She is the only minister and MP who fought hard for women rights and fought hard to move the Parliament of Zimbabwe to Bulawayo in the spirit of separation of powers.
Mzila Ndlovu fought very hard for the Gukurahundi victims and fell foul to Zanu PF and was the first minister to be arrested in office followed by Mangoma who refused to be used by Zanupf in their dirty schemes hence his incarceration.
Matibenga through out the inclusive government fought very hard for the rights of the working class .
My point is that these men and women who are in the process of uniting Zimbabweans in United Movement for Democratic Change (UMDC) are true servants of the people and trusted leaders who proved to all and sundry their worth.
Their coming together is a blessing for the people of Zimbabwe. None of them have ever indicated right to turn left.
They are genuinely reviving the spirit of 1999 which is built in trust, respect, democracy, rule of law, collective decision-making, accountability, non-violence, gender equality, servant leadership, diversity and tolerance.
The prayers of Zimbabweans who wants a united MDC have been answered. True democrats have come together, the people’s project is now one.
It is now united save for few charlatans masquerading as democrats but behaving the same way as our oppressors.
Leaders of UMDC are true patriots and Pan-Africanists who are humble and provide servant leadership which is what this beautiful country need.
This is the marriage made in heaven. Let us rally behind this shrewd leadership which will take us to Canaan.
Edwin Ndlovu is MDC team renewal secretary for information and publicity Bulawayo province can be contacted on [email protected]
