THE major weakness about Zimbabwe’s opposition political parties is that they tend to allow the ruling Zanu PF party to set the agenda for their politics.
Zanu PF has remained dominant on the political scene not because it has any plan to pull Zimbabwe out of the hole dug by the party in its 35 years in power, but due to lack of tact by opponents.
The sad state of affairs is typified by the current efforts by the Morgan Tsvangirai-led MDC-T to recall 21 MPs at a time when the party has declared that it would not contest any elections under the current laws.
MDC-T is citing Zanu PF’s recent decision to recall its former secretary for administration Didymus Mutasa and his nephew Temba Mliswa to force Parliament to expel members aligned to a faction led by Tendai Biti.
An excited MDC-T secretary-general Douglas Mwonzora reportedly served 21 Members of Parliament, who have joined MDC-Renewal, expulsion letters and demanded their ejection from the House.
The Speaker of Parliament is now expected to make a ruling on the matter, but the interest shown by Zanu PF members in the House on the matter indicates that the ruling party would be glad if the seats were declared vacant.
Zanu PF already enjoys a two-thirds majority in Parliament, but the opposition holds a number of seats to be in a position to keep the governing party in check.
However, if the seats are declared vacant and by-elections are conducted in terms of the law, Zanu PF is likely to recapture them from the opposition and effectively make Parliament a rubber stamping institution.
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Zanu PF has already indicated that it wants to use its two thirds majority to overhaul the new Constitution that was only adopted in 2013.
A weak Parliament would make it impossible to get the government to account and it would be a reversal in the democratisation thrust.
Tsvangirai should be strategic and for once stop being a hostage to his ego.
