SELLOUTS almost derailed our attainment of independence.

The younger generation in modern Zimbabwe has had its fair share of sell-outs who naively believe that the West will ‘rescue’ this country from its economic problems.

And this generation, too, is right to make reference to that word, sellout.

Sellouts have been trying, but without success, to return the country to our erstwhile colonisers.

They have not hidden endorsement of neo-colonialism; the reversal of all empowerment initiatives that were brought about by the war of liberation. 

In a period where the world is grappling with the COVID-19 virus that has ravaged lives and economies, it is not difficult to understand why there have been deafening clamours for the deadly virus to hit Zimbabwe.

We will not waste space trying to remind them that they are Zimbabwean and that this virus knows no race, colour, creed or political affiliation.

This is why the past week had titillating revelations on the opposition MDC’s position on the emotive issue of the illegal economic sanctions that have destroyed the country’s economy.

Where the MDC has been touting itself as the party of excellence, a party that can deliver the country’s economy from its current malaise, what we have learned is that this is a party that revels in people’s suffering in order to get the ticket to the coveted State House.

The MDC has thrived on the Western-induced narrative that corruption, mismanagement and incompetence, not sanctions, are the causes of the economic challenges the country is facing. 

On Tuesday, Vincent Tsvangirai, the son of the late MDC leader and chief sanctions cheerleader, Morgan Tsvangirai, stunned all and sundry when he told the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade that sanctions are hurting ordinary people — a position that the ruling ZANU PF has maintained all along.

Tsvangirai was responding to oral evidence by the Broad Alliance Against Sanctions which has been campaigning for the Patriotic Act to deal with those who called for the sanctions to be imposed against the country.

“My fear is that it (Patriotic Act) may sound good to put an act like that, for one, I am a patriotic person who believes that sanctions do hurt ordinary persons but at the same time making an act like that I believe sometimes you may end up opening citizens to further harm,’’ said Tsvangirai

“There are other ways like you said they are targeted sanctions correct, we want to find out who are the targeted people on those sanctions. Then are they economic sanctions and what are they dealing with those economic sanctions (sic). I believe they should go in this day and age they don’t help anything if you look at every other countries out there in the world. Look at all the statistics that are out there they don’t help with anything, you may target one person but that person is never targeted and that person will continue with their lives.”

This, as expected, did not go down well with his party, which swiftly unleashed its social media terror gangs to lampoon the hapless youthful politician who was told in no uncertain terms that the sanctions were, in fact, ‘helping’ the people of Zimbabwe and as such he had to withdraw his statement.

The MDC secretary-general and party leader Nelson Chamisa’s right hand man, Charlton Hwende, led from the front in the vicious attacks against Tsvangirai.

“We have noted with dismay your utterances in the National Assembly on March 17 2020 in which you claimed that American sanctions on Zimbabwe hurt the ordinary people,’’ said Hwende in a statement.

“As a member of the MDC, you are expected to adhere to the party’s stance regarding sanctions, which is that they are helping Zimbabweans to overcome the ruthless ZANU PF tyranny.”

What we learn from that outrageous statement is that the sanctions are not only the West’s tool to cajole the people of Zimbabwe to revolt against their Government, the MDC too is very much in the thick of things in so far as the sanctions strategy is concerned.

If the MDC was sincere about its purported love for the country, they would have joined hands with the masses in what has now become a continental and soon to be a global fight against the embargo.

They will never do unless their Western handlers direct them to do that.

But when all is said and done, the Vincent Tsvangirai debacle has helped confirm that the MDC enjoys the suffering of the majority, no matter the cost or agony, as long as they get power.

This is why we are convinced that 2023 is a done deal as ZANU PF will trounce them once again.

We need political parties that put the national interest first; parties that are driven by the goal of uplifting the livelihoods of the masses.

The MDC does not belong to that category.

If anything, it is a party of vile, sadistic and shameless sellouts.

Let those with ears listen.