Tsvangirai- Mujuru Coalition: A Pie in the Air

A fortnight ago, former vice president Joyce Mujuru braved up and announced that she has joined the political arena, this time in the opposition, as the leader of the Peoples First, and is more determined to square off with Robert Mugabe in the 2018 general elections. This, she said while unveiling her party policy document, Blueprint to Unlock Investment and Leverage for Development, popularly known as (BUILD).

Mujuru and several other senior party members, most of them Ministers and provincial chairperson, were fired from ZANU PF and government for plotting to remove Robert Mugabe from office through ‘unconstitutional means’, a move many believe was meant to frustrate her from succeeding the nonagenarian as succession battle rages on in ZANU PF. Since their expulsion, the Gamatox faction, as affectionately known in Zanu PF circles, found political sanctuary in an idea, which later translated into a ‘project’, Peoples First, and is yet to be transformed into a political party, which I think will soon.

And despite the fact that the Peoples First is not yet to be a political party, some opposition political parties applauded those behind it and are already jostling for a coalition with the Tsvangirai-led Movement for Democratic Change being the first to approach the ‘project’.

Morgan Tsvangirai and Joyce Mujuru 

There is nothing wrong with that anyway, coalitions are good especially in times like these where removing Zanu PF from state power should be the top priority issue for any serious, and people centred political party. Political coalitions, if there are going to be any in Zimbabwe, should be ‘agenda defined’ and aimed at promoting issue-based politics more than inflated individual egos.

In light of the above, it is imperative to note that there are slim chances of the Mujuru (People First) and Tsvangirai (MDC-T) to forge a meaningful coalition because of different intentions and agendas. For Joice Mujuru and the People’s First project a coalition with the MDC-T will be a redemption of the crimes committed against Zimbabweans whilst in Zanu PF and government. They will come out clean and attract public sympathy, use that as a mobilizing and campaigning gimmick and come 2018 elections, they will have better stakes than Tsvangirai’s dilapidating MDC. On the other hand Tsvangirai wants this coalition mainly to save his fortunes especially in the face of rebellion in the party, dwindling support and bankruptcy. And remember it is Tsvangirai who needs this coalition so badly than the ‘non-existent’ People First party.

All then points to the fact that this much talked coalition is not in any way going to benefit party supporters, sympathizers, activists, members and the ordinary Zimbabweans at large, but Tsvangirai and expelled former Zanu PF stalwarts.  Even if it is going to happen, though doubtful, it will never work because the two formations have different characters and history, which history will erode MDC support, further exposing it to its nemesis, Zanu PF.

Arrogance and Pride

There have been several attempts by the MDC-T during the run-up to 2013 general elections to court MDC-Ncube, Zimbabwe African Peoples Party (ZAPU), ZANU NDONGA and Mavambo/Kusile/Dawn into a grand coalition, but due to lack of political will and reluctance by these party leaders to swallow their pride and arrogance and agree to the terms and conditions, the coalition was never born.  This is what confronts the Peoples First- MDC-T purported coalition because there is no way Morgan Tsvangirai ‘christened the face of democracy’ is going to reduce himself to Mujuru’s second in command. 

Be that as it may, Mujuru on the other might also not be so comfortable to serve under Tsvangirai in whatever capacity. Having been kept under Mugabe’s armpit for a long time, the woman believes it’s high time for her to lead and will stop at nothing to make that happen. What then it means is that the two parties can have a deal not to contest each other in their strongholds but rather support each other like what happened in 2008 Jonathan Moyo in Tsholotsho constituency. However, this is tricky because both Mujuru and Tsvangirai want at the top and form the government.

Nasty History and Public Apology

Well, a coalition can be successfully forged in the boardroom, but not at grassroots. The party members are still grieving and such a coalition will be a total betrayal by the leaders to the families who lost their loved ones, livestock and homes to electoral violence orchestrated by Zanu PF, which Mujuru and team where part of.  It will be a grave mistake for the MDC-T to mate with this outfit, because there is no guarantee they have changed.

Some political victims of political violence who had their hands chopped

Public apology yes, but it’s not good enough to heal the grieving mother in Dotito, or a brother who had both his hands chopped off in Headlands. Rather the coalition will cause more harm than good, People First team presided over the same government which have rendered Zimbabweans a laughing stock 35 years after independence. They have contributed to the crafting of nasty policies and legislation that haunt ordinary Zimbabweans day and night. These people have been looting since the very day they tasted public office and it's fallacious and sardonic to pretend to have changed.

It’s the same Zanu PF with a different face and robe, so instead of jostling for a coalition with them, MDC-T should be busy engaging its traditional strategic partners, the workers, students’ movement, social movements, churches, and the ordinary Zimbabweans at large. 

David Chidende is a blogger who writes in his personal capacity. He can be contacted on chidende20110@gmail.com, or Twitter @davidchidende