By Eunice Masunungure

AS disappointed MDC Alliance (MDC-A) supporters left Stodart Grounds, Mbare, the venue of the party’s hyped ‘address’, there was no escaping from the fact that the opposition is still spoiling for a confrontation with the authorities.

The strategy this time around is the ‘managed change’ formula.

The ‘managed change’ formula is always used to both support change and also build a case for change in an organisation and this has been the strategy in use by renowned institutions in their fight against Zimbabwe.

As such, all institutions that are gathering around this time of the year have something to say about Zimbabwe and the conclusions are usually guided by the events, insinuated  or believed to be taking place in Zimbabwe.

Before one starts looking at the speculation of the February EU review on Zimbabwe or the March 1st US’ ruling with regards to sanctions on Zimbabwe, it is crucial to make a follow-up on the World Economic Forum in Davos, for example; and comment on the United Kingdom International Business meeting, where MDC Alliance was actually invited; or even cast an eye on the opposition party’s ‘state of the nation address’ called Agenda 2020.

The World Economic Forum in Davos is an influential gathering of world leaders and business innovators on the globe and at this forum, countries’ economies and their politics are deliberated and concluded.

Trend has been that more than economics and business is discussed and the rulings about Zimbabwe take the colonial route in the world economic forums.

Zimbabwe’s history of land reform fuelled pessimistic assessment of the future profitability of Zimbabwe.

The rulings were also cast in line with the point of view of the opposition party against the ruling Government’s efforts towards economic recovery.

Tracing the historical lane, in January 2018, all eyes were on Zimbabwe’s President Emmerson Mnangagwa at Davos, and that year was inclined towards providing a chance for Zimbabwe’s new Government to re-engage with international investors and countries it had fallen out with.

In 2019, the MDC Alliance staged a demonstration at a time when President Mnangagwa was supposed to attend the World Economic Forum in Davos, where he was expected to seek investment for Zimbabwe.

This was not a coincidence, for the obvious intention was to tarnish the image of the nation and the Government and possibly drive for further isolation of the nation.

As such, having the MDC Alliance recently launching its Agenda 2020 draws the world to the country and invites comments which impact on the events of the nation.

The MDC Alliance, which is always looking for an opportunity to tarnish the image of the ruling party, took the opportunity to bring Zimbabwe to the spotlight at a time when a major world meeting was being held.

Therefore, even the MDC Alliance’s launching of their Agenda 2020 in Mbare on Tuesday, is not to be taken lightly because if the opposition party was denied the opportunity to gather, they would have argued they were being denied their so-called ‘democratic right’.

The MDC Alliance’s gestures are always considered by the West as the public sentinel but records are that they have a tendency to splash images that caricature the efforts of Government.

While the World Economic Forum sees itself as ‘a partner in shaping history’, it is also accused of messing up countries economy through interference.

In 2001, when a meeting between the later Pakistani President Yasser Arafat did not create a breakthrough in the Middle East, Davos was blamed for not living up to their purported thematic lines of supporting, ‘stakeholders for a cohesive and sustainable growth’ as its theme is this year.

Nelson Chamisa, the opposition leader, has been in the habit of snubbing President Mnangagwa’s gesture to accommodate talks under the political actors’ dialogue (POLAD) and refusing to recognise President Mnangagwa’s Presidency.

The MDC Alliance has even gone to the extent of walking out of the State of the Nation Address (SONA) by President Mnangagwa in Parliament but when it comes to getting perks, they abandon those childish antics.

Chamisa dismissed President Mnangagwa’s SONA, saying it was a waste of resources.

However, he launched his own and the question is: Does he really have Zimbabweans at heart or he simply wants publicity?

No doubt, Chamisa and his party have been desperately attempting to gain publicity and pushing for action against Government reforms and their gestures include efforts to mobilise forces to cause chaos in the nation as evidenced by proposed community resistance committees.

This January 2020, the atmosphere has been that of MDC Alliance stirred demonstrations and various other groups planned to highlight ‘economic crisis’.

Over the years, MDC supporters have unleashed a wave of violent protests in the country in a bid to attract attention from their founders and funders.

This year, the MDC Alliance intends to continue with that trend. 

The party is already training most of its youths in order to come up with ways to dislodge a legitimate Government. 

Zimbabwe; watch this space.