Kagoro:Zimbabwe needs new energy to avoid “internal cannibalism”

By Violet Gonda
09 May 2006

Outspoken civic leader and political commentator Brian Kagoro has said the split in the MDC is unfortunate as a much weaker opposition would find it difficult to contain Robert Mugabe’s Zanu PF.Kagoro said if the two factions, which are led by Morgan Tsvangirai and Arthur Mutambara respectively, insist on competing as factions they should at least expand their energy and the few resources they have in a robust communication strategy.

He said the two groups need to mobilise as had been seen in ZANU PF with the entrance of Jonathan Moyo and others. “Whatever their ultimate fate became in ZANU PF we saw how that brought a new impetus, a new energy.”

Kagoro said even before the MDC split there were already difficulties because ZANU PF had already outflanked oppositional forces through the use of force, repressive legislation and wear and tear. He believes both Tsvangirai and Mutambara now require new energy to drive the democratic struggle forward.

The analyst said, “We have been fighting for so long and we are now beginning to suffer from some form of fatigue. And to avoid becoming some form of cannibalism because we start fighting ourselves and each other and we think we are not winning against the enemy. We need new energy, energy that has not been expended.”

He also said the real issue for him is whether either faction actually has, among other issues, programmes beyond being popular and whether they will have political and social programmes that will address the hunger and the rampant unemployment and that will result in an economic turnaround. “Governance is not simply about ideas and what is said at rallies.”

The civic leader was speaking on wide ranging issues on the programme Hot Seat. Be sure to listen to this week’s insightful programme where Brian Kagoro does not mince his words on the crisis in the opposition and the way forward.