Tsvangirai tour calls for political tightrope walking
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4 June, 2009

TANONOKA JOSEPH WHANDE

Next week, Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai leaves on a whirlwind tour of Europe, Scandinavia and the United States.
His mission is to convince allies and foes that he, not Robert Mugabe, is in charge and that his “intentions are clear”.
He wants money and investments poured into Zimbabwe and it is a tricky situation for him indeed.
 
There has never been any doubt that Tsvangirai’s intentions are clear. The world remains sceptical about Tsvangirai’s clout within the government of national unity since many observers and Zimbabweans believe that Mugabe is still clearly in charge and that “it would be a mistake to not recognize this fact”.
Tsvangirai’s tightrope walk will be interesting to observe in that it is a Catch 22 situation.
For the unity government to survive, money and investments are needed. At the same time, money and investments will strengthen Mugabe and ZANU-PF, who continue to behave as if there is no authority in the country except them.
And, indeed, there is no other authority in the country except them, and that is Tsvangirai’s biggest problem – how do you convince people that you are in charge when you are being humiliated on a daily basis and your intentions and progressive proposals for the country are always being thwarted on partisan grounds?
Something has clearly fallen behind, something is missing.
There was a time when Zimbabweans, let alone the international community, believed that whatever camp Tsvangirai was in is where the people and the support is, that that’s where help and assistance ought to go.
Since the MDC’s joining the unity government, many have wondered whether Tsvangirai was still truly representative of the people and all the aspirations that caused so much damage, murder and upheaval in the nation.
Tsvangirai himself was not spared of the mayhem.
Today, Tsvangirai is prime minister of Zimbabwe and is vigorously defending “his” unity government in which Mugabe clearly remains the leading man, calling shots as he pleases and embarrassing Tsvangirai at every turn and opportunity.
Indeed, as Tsvangirai is busy packing his bags for the three-week tour of these countries, as “part of his 100 day plan to re-engage with the international community, after years of isolation from western countries”, ZANU-PF continues to cause havoc on farms and in the rural areas.
Illegal farm invasions continue while army units deployed in rural areas to ensure Mugabe’s violent re-election last year remain in place and continue to intimidate and to harass civilians.
And, as has become their practice, the MDC “raised concern” about it and that’s as far as it went.
The real work for the MDC is to campaign for Mugabe’s acceptance and to urge the Europeans and Americans to untie their purse strings to assist the unity government in which Mugabe is the big honcho.
Except for the exploitative and patronizing availability of foodstuffs on supermarket shelves, the terror, violence, arbitrary arrests and harassment of political opponents, mainly Tsvangirai’s own people, continue.
Just less than two weeks ago, the MDC “raised concern” about the way public entities, notably the state-owned newspaper, the Herald, and the national broadcaster, the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation, are operating as they continue to demonise Tsvangirai’s party and presenting Tsvangirai himself in less than favourable light.
As travellers’ cheques are being processed and visas requested, Youth Minister, Savior Kasukuwere, is being accused of sponsoring violence, “which involves the raping of girls and looting of property”.
It is reported that in a show of how things have not changed, three MDC activists, identified as Terry Musona, Lloyd Tarumbwa and Fani Tembo, “were abducted from their homes by three state security agents on Tuesday.
Reports quote an MDC statement that said that, in this latest abduction, the three were taken to the Attorney-General’s office in Harare and told they had to testify against some of their colleagues, who are facing trumped up banditry charges, or face unspecified consequences.
Zimbabweans do not want Mugabe as evidenced by the results of last year’s elections. Mugabe refused to leave office and, through SADC’s chicanery, remains president over a people who had chucked him out of office.
In sympathy with the abused Zimbabwean masses, some nations tried to contain Mugabe and his cronies in retaliation to the abuse of power and erosion of human rights. They slapped on them travel bans and restrictions.
Now Tsvangirai is embarking on this trip with some of the very people singled out as perpetrators of economic abuse and human rights violations.
How easy is it going to be for him to convince the outside world when his own people at home are increasingly getting frustrated by his inability to not only make meaningful changes but to show that he is Mugabe’s equal. People at home are just not convinced that the MDC’s presence in this unity government will force Mugabe to loosen his grip on power, seeing as they do that repressive laws are still in use, the media is still gagged, political violence and arbitrary arrests continue while cabinet ministers from Tsvangirai’s party are arrested often on frivolous charges and the destructive so-called war veterans continue with their retrogressive ways but with the protection of Mugabe and his police.
Is Tsvangirai campaigning for the lifting of these restrictions (or sanctions) without saying a word? Is it time yet to accept Mugabe back? Has he changed in any way? What evidence exists to indicate that the MDC should campaign for the lifting of these travel bans?
If no changes are apparent, why is the MDC asking its “allies” to deal with Mugabe in a more favourable way?
Should he or should he not be concerned if some members of his official entourage are denied entry into some of these countries? What will he do about it and what will he say? Will he praise those countries that intend to keep the pressure on Mugabe or will he denounce them for spoiling his efforts to resuscitate Zimbabwe with the assistance of Robert Mugabe?
Tsvangirai has to provide the answers.
The heart of the matter is that there are serious problems in Zimbabwe and that things are not well at all. The international community will find it difficult to believe Prime Minister Tsvangirai when his own people at home are sceptical about his ability to impose his party’s views on Mugabe and ZANU-PF stalwarts who continue to resist the unity government tirelessly work to sabotage it.
It is clear that Tsvangirai and his party are trying but are failing to reign in Mugabe. It is clear that Mugabe is using Tsvangirai and this Unity government hoping to somehow survive, which he is succeeding in doing.
The MDC must be aware of this and, hopefully, avoid angering its people and those in the international community who wish them well and continue to stand by them.
The MDC must work as hard at pruning Mugabe’s power as it is doing at attempting to raise money for him.
It is at times such as these that leaders take positions but it is not likely that Tsvangirai will do so because he badly needs both sides.
Does he or does he not want the sanctions lifted?
Whether the answer is “yes” or “no”, it offers problems and invites serious questions about whether or not the MDC has itself accepted defeat and only want to remain in this government for personal, not for the people’s gain.
Before he can try to please and placate bruised egos within the government of national unity, Mr Tsvangirai must look back and see who put him where he is.
While he asks for patience from people, people are also asking him to show reason, to show some movement that he is still fighting for them and their rights. It must not just be business as usual. People have been patient enough.

The people and Mr Tsvangirai owe each other something, wouldn’t you say?

Send me your comments on tano@swradioafrica.com I am Tanonoka Joseph Whande and that my fellow Zimbabweans, is the way it is today, Thursday, June 4th, 2009.