THE MDC-T has been implicated in a covert operation aimed at circumventing constitutional processes by subduing the country’s economy in a move they hope will culminate in the formation of yet another Government of National Unity through ‘fresh’ elections this year, impeccable sources told The Patriot this week.
The party has claimed at various forums that its presence in the GNU brought economic development to the country, but not many agree with them.
In recent weeks, the embattled Western-founded and funded party has been sending signals which suggest they are complicity in the economic situation currently pervading the country.
The signals have been interpreted by sources in the party as moves to sabotage the economy and galvanise the masses so that ‘we go for elections as soon possible’, the sources said.
The party has been working with the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU), its long time ally in the regime change agenda to call for mass stay aways which have in the past crippled the country’s economy.
The sources said there were major disagreements on the strategy as many in the party felt that the indigenisation programme and the multicurrency regime which was introduced by Finance Minister Patrick Chinamasa in 2009 has weakened the MDC-T’s capacity to mobilise the masses.
Last week, the party’s senior officials told a local weekly that the masses should start ‘stocking’ up as ‘trouble’ lies ahead.
The party’s shadow minister for labour, Paurina Mpariwa alleged that ZANU PF which thumped the MDC-T in the July 31, 2013 harmonised elections has ‘failed’ to manage the economy.
Another senior MDC-T official Douglas Mwonzora has since late last year been telling the media that Zimbabweans should brace themselves for fresh polls because ZANU PF has failed to manage the economy.
Last week, he repeated the sentiments, claiming that the country does not have what he said was a ‘proper’ government.
Mwonzora threatened Zimbabweans with the usual MDC-T song that ‘ZANU PF is scaring away investors’.
“Until fresh elections are held and a proper government in place things will remain as they are and investors will continue to shy away the country,” said Mwonzora.
This is not the first time that the MDC –T has done similar destabilisation projects.
In 2007 the MDC-T, working with some Western governments sought to use economic sabotage as the road power.
The timetable for the programme was clear.
From March 2006, right up to March 2007, MDC-T leader, Morgan Tsvangirai embarked on a whirlwind tour of Zimbabwe’s cities, all the time making it clear that this was a build-up to a mass action.
Through the media he told Zimbabweans:
“From today, fellow Zimbabweans, kindly save a penny and stock up where possible….. A storm is in the horizon.”
This statement fits well into Mpariwa’s last week’s utterances.
“The general public should be very worried and should start stocking up because there is big trouble ahead and we need to be prepared for the worst,” said Mpariwa.
In 2008, the strategy almost worked as Tsvangirai led the first round of polls before President Robert Mugabe turned the tables in the run off.
But this time, the sources said, the MDC-T, having enjoyed the trappings of power in the inclusive Government now wants to circumvent the constitution and push for another GNU.
The strategy is set to fail though as the new ZANU PF Government’s economic blueprint, the Zimbabwe Agenda for Sustainable Socio-Economic Transformation (Zim ASSET) which is set to consolidate the ongoing indigenisation and economic empowerment programme has found takers among Zimbabweans.
On the other hand, Zimbabwe will only go for elections in 2018 as prescribed by the constitution which the MDC-T helped to craft.
“It is true that we are working on a programme to destabilise the economy through calling for stay aways and hopefully push for elections this year,” said one source who refused to be named.
“The catch here is to go back to governance again because many of us enjoyed the trappings of power and we had hoped that our presence in government would convince the electorate to vote us into office, but as you know the outcome of the polls gave ZANU PF the mandate to rule for the next five years.
“For us my brother to slow down ZANU PF we have to destabilise the economy and hopefully it will work….”
Another source concurred saying the continued negative focus on the party would do little to boost their chances in the 2018 elections hence the adoption of ‘new’ strategies.
“We are at a critical stage in the history of our party,” said the source.
“Its either we save ourselves from the shame of our dismal outing in the last elections and the continued negative focus or we face total extinction.
“2018 is not far and we need new strategies but sadly and unfortunately all that we have come up with are old tactics this is why in light of the launch of the new ZANU PF programme (Zim ASSET) we need to come up with more sophisticated approaches.
“I don’t agree with the stay aways, its and old, tired and abused tactic.”
Mwonzora could not be reached for comment as his mobile phone went unanswered.
But with Zimbabweans having embraced Zim ASSET and ready to start building the country from scratch, the MDC-T faces an uphill task of dismantling ZANU PF’s grip on power.