Prime Minster Morgan Tsvangirai was sworn in on 11 February 2009. And he’s been sharing power with his rival President Robert Mugabe. It’s been a rocky marriage and it’s clear both sides don’t trust each other.
But they have to make their unity government.
Cracks are already appearing on the ground. Civil servants have threatened to down tools in two weeks if their salaries aren’t increased, government paid teachers aren’t going to classes because of low wages, drafting of a new and very necessary constitution is stalled because political parties can’t put aside their differences.
Here’s my take on what’s next on what Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai’s party the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC - T) needs to focus on in 2010
REALITY CHECK
The MDC - T led by Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai is still enjoying its new found glory of being in a shared government.
But year since the unity government was formed the party is facing pressure from the people who now want to see progress on the ground.
Now that Tsvangirai has effectively joined forces with Mugabe – because technically they are now one government – the MDC no longer has the luxury of blaming the shortcomings of the Government of National Unity (GNU) solely on President Robert Mugabe’s party Zanu PF.
The MDC went intentionally into this marriage – now they must make it work because like it or not, they no longer enjoy the total, old public sympathy they had when they ‘used’ to be the opposition. A year since the unity government was formed Zimbabweans now want action.
Tsvangirai’s party has to negotiate its way through Zimbabwe’s latest political jungle – and make things work for the good of all Zimbabweans.
Millions of Zimbabweans, struggling to put food on the table, do not want to go back to the ‘old’ days of hyperinflation, empty supermarket shelves, violence and intimidation needs to be thing of the past.
This is my take on what the MDC could do to hold on to its support base in 2010:
Raise more money
The country is still bankrupt and a sad reality is that the international community isn’t yet ready to invest or give donations in any grand scale to the unity government. They say they don’t trust Zimbabwe has made a complete turnaround yet.
The MDC is in charge of the Finance Ministry – which is good for them. The international community from Western countries feel President Mugabe’s party ZANU PF has squandered billions over the years and seem to view the MDC as the lesser evil. They must use this to their advantage more.
They have to try and convince the international community that any money given to the Zimbabwe government will be put to good use – not stolen.
Keeping petty arguments between Central Bank governor Gideon Gono (ZANU PF) and Finance Minister Tendai Biti (MDC) out of the media is necessary. How will donors be convinced ‘things are ticking along’ if parties seem always locked in fights over how the money is spent?
But perhaps begging for cash isn’t working anymore – it’s time for a change in strategy.
Manage expectations of supporters
Zimbabweans know the MDC is not in full control of this government – they understand their party has challenges BUT there is so much expectation for them to show just how different their ministers' and officials' conduct is from what Zanu PF has been since 1980.
The promises they made during elections have to be realised, good governance has to be restored and people must feel their lives are changing somewhat for the better.
They have done well on the latter point. Ask anyone in Zimbabwe and they’ll tell you things are much better now than a year ago. And in their minds things improved when the unity government was formed. They see the MDC as an essential reason for this change in fortunes.
To keep this momentum going Tsvangirai has to make sure his party performs. Keep allegations and corruption scandals within his party to a minimum and not make too many lofty promises to his electorate.
Zimbabweans are scared of Mugabe but they are not afraid of Tsvangirai.
Rioting on the streets angry at promises Mugabe failed to deliver would make most Zimbabweans think twice. They know the repercussions – brutal beatings by police and security forces and even death.
Tsvangirai is a softer target – a man who pushes democratic ideals and speaks out against human rights abuses. Disgruntled Zimbabweans could feel it’s safer to protest under his watch – after all would the golden boy to the West dare go against his work and clamp down on his people? If he did he’d be no better than his rival Mugabe.
Manage power struggles within his party
Officially PM Tsvagirai’s party is called MDC-T after the breakaway of the other half a few years ago. That half, led by Deputy Prime Minister Arthur Mutambara is called MDC-M.
The breakaway probably solved many problems for Tsvangirai – at least one group was out and he could concentrate on moulding what was left of his party.
But that doesn’t mean there are people within his camp jostling for higher positions including his. Some feel he has been the MDC –T leader for far too long – since 1999 and maybe it’s time for someone else to take over the reins.
Tsvangirai needs to keep being relevant to his party officials and the people. The old line of, “I am the face of the party,” is wearing thin. He needs to reinvent himself. He may be able to do that as not only party leader but as Prime Minister of Zimbabwe.
Learn to handle President Robert Mugabe better
I’ve sat in press conferences or at State House in Harare and watched the two rivals operate. On most occasions you can cut the air with a knife- that’s how cold the room is when they are together. Both men can’t resist subtlety taking a jab at each other through words as they try desperately to show the media they are a united force and all is well between them.
I’ve ‘followed’ and talked to both men in the course of five years – and it seem Mugabe Mugabe always outshines Tsvangirai in wit, charm and political savvy. Must all those years of hanging on to power?
But clearly all isn’t well between the two men – but they are stuck with each other until the next elections. Tsvangirai has to make sure the drafting of a new constitution goes as quickly and as smoothly as possible. More importantly his party has to make sure power is evenly distributed – the Head of State, currently President Mugabe, can’t have the same sweeping powers as before.
Mugabe has been calling the shots since 1977, when he became leader of his party ZANU. He knows how to play the game and he plays it well. How is Tsvangirai going to outmanoeuvre the master chess player?
It’s going to be a tough year for the Prime Minister and his party MDC - T.
Their honey moon period is coming to an end. Now they have to start delivering.
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