WHILE I never thought the MDC-T could get concessions from Zanu PF on all outstanding issues I still believed that there would be progress on some issues. Things are not looking good at the negotiations so we may have to start planning for an alternative ending.
Zanu PF is trying to push MDC-T into leaving the Government of National Unity (GNU) so that they can call elections without having to negotiate. If at all possible, the MDC-T should hang in there so as to frustrate Zanu PF’s plan to cheat the people of Zimbabwe of the future they deserve.
The signals coming from President Jacob Zuma and Sadc do not inspire confidence. Now he wants Zimbabwe to hold elections without sorting out the outstanding Global Political Agreement (GPA) issues. It would appear that Zimbabweans were used by South Africans as pawns in the politics of the World Cup.
Now that the World Cup is in the bag South Africa does not care a hoot about the welfare of the Zimbabweans. If Zanu PF chooses to kill thousands of Zimbabweans as part of an election campaign that takes place after the World Cup then it won’t matter.
The recent appeal to Sadc and the African Union concerning the talks by the MDC-T should be viewed in the light of recent events. There is little or no chance that these two “esteemed” African organisations will do anything about President Robert Mugabe’s behaviour.
The MDC-T must begin planning for a post-GNU scenario. Everyone acknowledges that the MDC-T has done all it can to return Zimbabwe to the community of nations and to improve the economics of the country but it is likely that their position in the GNU will soon become untenable. They, therefore, must have a clear plan of action to counter Zanu PF strategy.
The strategists in the party should come up with a comprehensive plan that covers all the things that could go wrong. As the cliché goes “Failure to plan is planning to fail”. The MDC-T appears to have been lulled into a false sense of security. I may be wrong but I think the MDC-T is not planning for the worst. It would be tragic if and when the GNU collapses or outlives its usefulness the MDC-T finds itself without a plan for countering Zanu PF.
In 2008 we were caught off-guard but once beaten twice shy. We should never allow Zanu PF to catch us napping again. As always I do not expect the MDC-T to share their plans with us lesser mortals but those in the driving seat of the organisation should have a clear idea of what the organisation will do in the event of a premature end to the GNU. I am just worried that the MDC-T may be left without a chair when the music stops.

Gabriel Gid
United Kingdom.

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