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IN HAPPIER TIMES . . . MDC-T president Morgan Tsvangirai (right) with one of his three vice presidents Thokozani Khupe during a rally

Farirai Machivenyika Mr Speaker, Sir
Mr Speaker Sir, a week ago Vice President Phelekezela Mphoko made an important observation during the Senate’s Question Time on the cause of political violence and what should be done about it.

His statement came to mind following the unfortunate events of intra-party violence in the MDC-T last week. For those that missed his statement while responding to questions on the issue let me repeat what he said below.

“Fighting is caused by attitudes. The ministry has very little it can do but I think the homes themselves have a responsibility not to take politics as that which runs lives. The moment you want to make yourself professional or a special politician, because there has never been a special professional politician, you will always go wrong.”

He added: “Let us not take politics to a certain level where it is not supposed to be. Let me also remind you Hon (Morgan) Komichi that you are older than ZANU, ZAPU or MDC in terms of age. All these things came long after you were born and I think we must look at things from that angle. We should also not take politics as a profession please. I thank you.”

“Fighting is caused by people who think they are better than others in their parties. Yes, we are politicians but if we take it beyond this, we should not think that we are better than the others. The problem is not in the ministry (National Healing) but in us (politicians).”

Mr Speaker Sir, as we move towards the 2018 harmonised elections it is disheartening that the MDC-T has already started engaging in acts of violence against their own.

It is the same party that always cries victim although it is littered with acts of intra-party violence from the days of its formation.

The party has demonstrated its failure to deal with internal dissent and in most cases differences have culminated in violence.

The sight of rowdy MDC-T youths attacking the beleaguered party’s vice president, Thokozani Khupe, and other leaders for convening an “unsanctioned” meeting in Bulawayo at a time party leader Morgan Tsvangirai was consummating a so-called alliance with other opposition parties were awash on social media.

It is in the public domain that Ms Khupe is totally against entering into the so-called coalition that Mr Tsvangirai is pushing, but what we did not know was how deep these differences were before last weekend’s events.

Mr Tsvangirai has lost to President Mugabe on numerous occasions and just like in 2013, he thinks formation of the so-called “coalition” with fringe opposition political parties will lead him to State House this time around.

Well, I may have digressed, Mr Speaker Sir, the issue is the violence in the MDC-T should be nipped in the bud before it escalates.

Zimbabweans are a peace-loving people and as we approach 2018 we do not want anything that will distract people from making their choice freely.

It is the MDC-T that always mourns about violence every time they lose an election yet, as history has shown, the party has a propensity for violence that is shameful.

It is further disheartening that of all the acts of intra-party violence in the beleaguered party, its leader, Mr Tsvangirai, has always been at the centre of it.

It is high time he self-introspects on where his political career is going. All pointers show that he will perform dismally in the next election as he has failed to make any meaningful coalition with people of Zimbabwe who are the ones that matter.

Trying to endear himself to the public through beating up his opponents will only alienate him from the electorate.

Just like the VP Mphoko said politics should not be the be all and end all of one’s life like what Mr Tsvangirai is dangerously portraying.

We can create all institutions and commissions we can but ultimately it is the politicians themselves who should act responsibly and be an example to their followers.

Mr Tsvangirai, it should be about selling your ideas to the public so that when the time comes they can entrust you with leading them and not hiring thugs to move around intimidating people.

Mr Speaker Sir, we urge the law enforcement agents to be on high alert as the electoral season fast ap- proaches.

These acts of violence have the danger of damaging the reputation of the country and scare away potential investors.

The foundations have been laid for the turnaround of the economy and we wouldn’t want the actions of a failed politician to disrupt that trajectory.

Mr Speaker Sir, next year’s election are critical in the development of our nation and as we have already seen, the MDC is trying all the tricks in the books to discredit the outcome beforehand and that should not be allowed.

We hope the so-called international community took note of events in the MDC-T although we are greatly disappointed that they did not come out in condemnation of the barbaric acts the same way they do if there is any allegation against Zanu-PF.

This ultimately betrays their real agenda of regime change which fortunately has been observed and rejected by the majority of Zimbabweans since the year 2000 when the country started on a path to complete the struggle for economic emancipation through ownership of our resources.

As alluded earlier what is needed is to prevent all forms of violence before, during and after next year’s elections and allow Zimbabweans to freely make their choice of who should govern them.