Economist, Professor Tony Hawkins said the MDC-T had the potential to fly Zimbabwe’s economy high.
“I think they [MDC] have the capacity if the policies they are talking about are implemented efficiently. The policies are good, it’s a question of putting them into practice. What is needed is to get the right direction from the politicians. I don’t think there is much to criticise on the party’s policies so far,” Hawkins said.
Political analyst and community development activist, George Makoni said Tsvangirai emerged from the policy conference as a leader with a vision for the country. He said the policies envisaged by the MDC-T would go a long way in sprucing the image of the party and silence critics who were accusing it of having no direction.
He said the MDC-T’s realisation that poverty cannot be addressed without resolving the weak and corrupt systems of governance was commendable.
Makoni said the MDC-T policies come on the backdrop of rampant corruption particularly in the extractive industry where the proceeds from diamond mining were allegedly being looted by well-connected and influential people.
“The MDC policy blueprint summarises the backbone of all challenges by stating that the State has become highly centralised and autocratic and our democracy, the result of a hard won independence struggle, is totally compromised,” he said.
But another political analyst, Ernest Mudzengi, said while proponents of free market policies were welcoming the outcome of the conference, others such as workers were not happy.
“It depends on which side you are [on], but to some they can say the policies are dangerous for workers. That is why those in the labour movement are not happy with ART,” he said.
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Former MDC-T strong ally and National Constitutional Assembly (NCA) chairman, Professor Lovemore Madhuku said nothing new came out of the conference.
“They have always been talking about these things,” he said. “If anything, the conference showed the level of intolerance within the MDC-T when the party’s secretary general Tendai Biti refused to shake hands with Japhet Moyo [ZCTU secretary general]. How can you invite someone to your conference and refuse to shake hands with him?”
