The ManicaPost
Philemon Mutedzi Post Correspondent
ELECTION season always comes with all sorts of political stunts by political players, all in a bid to either sway the vote in their favour, or as in the case with the MDC-T, to justify its perennial losses in elections.
Traditionally, the MDC-T as the main opposition player, has ad infinitum over the years employed underhand methods to portray a picture of an uneven political playing field.
Over the years, that party has always had a penchant to stage abductions, instigate the employment of minimum force by the police by unlawfully provoking the law enforcement agency, feigning political beatings, as well as alleged intimidation by Zanu-PF supporters, all in a bid to project a hostile political environment ahead of regional and international summits, and of course, elections.
True to that tried and tested strategy, that party has of late upped the ante in its futile pursuit of electoral reforms ahead of the 2018 harmonised elections. First, it was the curious story of the MDC-T Isuzu single cab truck that was torched ostensibly by unknown assailants at a car park in Kuwadzana on the wee hours of July 13.
Inexplicably, the car was surprisingly burnt everywhere else, except where the MDC-T logo and name were inscribed.
In addition, the plastic bumper on the Isuzu single cab miraculously survived the inferno, which that party alleges was perpetrated by Zanu-PF arsonists. Wait a minute; to put matters into perspective, the arson case coincided with the flopped MDC-T Youth Assembly demonstration the previous day on July 12, which was thwarted by anti-riot police when they clamped down on the violent and poorly subscribed demonstration.
It is evident that, that party burnt down its car in the dead of the night to invite sympathy and international attention. The ill-thought out ploy was exposed when that party immediately started soliciting for donations to replace the car.Fast forward to July 19, Dandaro Bar, belonging to MDC-T vice-president, Engineer Elias Mudzuri, located in the Workington area in Harare was razed to the ground. True to its familiar modus operandi, the MDC-T pointed accusing fingers at Zanu-PF with spurious allegations that witnesses saw six armed men in a Mazda twin cab without number plates, leaving Dandaro Bar before it was reduced to ashes.
Nobody has bothered to check whether the grass thatched bar where patrons’ braai stands are situated or an electrical fault could have caused the fire.
Barely a week later, Zimbabweans woke up to allegations that the homestead of Nyachuru Kraal Head, Tendayi Nyachuru, who is purportedly an MDC-T supporter, was reportedly razed to the ground by Zanu-PF supporters on July 25. The thread is familiar, as immediately after the alleged arson case, his cell number was circulated on social media, asking well-wishers who would want to assist him financially to do so.With the foregoing allegations of Zanu-PF-perpetrated violence still fresh, MDC-T alleged that Zanu-PF assailants allegedly beat up an MDC-T supporter, George Sande, on July 25 in Mbare on allegations that he was wearing an MDC-T T-shirt. The story sounds superfluous given that the alleged assailants remain anonymous, yet they are alleged to be Zanu-PF supporters.Violence is a vice that cannot be condoned, which is why the late Vice-President, Cde John Landa Nkomo, who was then the co-Minister of Peace and Reconciliation during the Inclusive Government coined the phrase: “Peace begins with you, peace begins with me, peace begins with all of us.”
As recently as July 21, President Mugabe rallied against the Children of Zimbabwe War Veterans Association, (COZWA), led by Munyaradzi Shoko during the Matabeleland North Youth Interface rally in Lupane for fomenting violence by intimidating people to join the party in the name of the First Lady, Amai Dr Grace Mugabe.
That is a sign of a sincere party and leadership which does not condone the use of political violence to cow down opponents.
It is thus shocking and unbelievable that the same Zanu-PF, which is castigating violence by organisations, who are sympathetic to it, can be said to be the one behind the abominable acts of alleged arson and violence.TIts former Director Administration, Mr Toendepi Shonhe, Afrobarometer, Mass Public Opinion Institute, (MPOI), and of late, Political Scientist, Professor Eldred Masunungure, have all predicted a resounding victory for Zanu-PF in 2018, hence, the fervent stunts by the MDC-T to portray an electoral field fraught with violence and intimidation to justify its pending loss.
The MDC-T’s shenanigans are not lost on all discerning and well-meaning Zimbabweans, who see through the folly of the violence charade being orchestrated by that party.
Zimbabweans are alive to this ruse by the MDC-T, it is a no-brainer that the only way that, that party can ever hope to upstage Zanu-PF in an election is if it changes its candidate, Mr Morgan Tsvangirai, and change its electoral tactics and neo-liberal ideology, which is manifestly divorced from the pro-people ideologies that Zanu-PF pursues.
