What is that scheme? In politico-cloud cuckooland the plan is to ensure that MDC-N boosts its March 29 2008 parliamentary seats in its stronghold of Mat-Bulawayo provinces, though a herculean task.
In so doing, the move will be Janus-faced in flagging the number of votes for Morgan Tsvangirai in the aforementioned provinces.
The dream-plan therefore is to depose Professor Mutambara and substitute him with Professor Welshman Ncube who identifies more naturally with voters in the geographical stronghold of the party.
In this scheme Mutambara is seen as an obstruction because they say “he does not belong”, at least in the geographical stronghold. Zanu PF is confident that if a plan to regionalise electoral politics succeeds the new MDC-N is willing to embrace a gravy-axis post-election as Nathaniel Manheru elucidates.
MDC’s push for leadership change can only shake MDC-T’s power base in Matabeleland. Matabeleland is going for narrow politics and they MDC… will ascend, albeit temporarily.
After all (they) are not seeking presidency of this country, in fact cannot seek it. They seek leverage for negotiating with Zanu PF for concessions, for comfort.
Zanu PF is keen to get in a government of national unity (GNU) with MDC-N if it tremendously wins the Mat-Bulawayo vote. The form of GNU will be a replica of the 1980 model rather than the foregoing with President Mugabe firmly in charge. The Zanu PF initiative of roping in MDC-N in a new-fangled GNU will be threefold. First, the strategy is to weaken an inevitable delegitimisation onslaught from an amalgamated opposition in a wobbly post-election period and further consolidate Zanu PF’s political power base.
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Second, to pacify the long marginalised people of Mat-Bulawayo provinces by somehow implementing an unwritten proportional representation. Third, to demobilise Sadc and AU in a shaky post-election period as President Mugabe deceives as a statesman. Fourth, to isolate its nemesis Tsvangirai.
However, this remains an ivory-tower plan in the corridors of fantasy scheming and come judgement day it can be dismantled by the people who are rationale voters. But for now, Mutambara has to pave way for a dream new GNU.
By Phillan ZamchiyaUniversity of OxfordUnited Kingdom.
