|
Ncube comes out of closet
By David Samuriwo
MOVEMENT for Democratic Change (MDC) secretary-general Professor Welshman Ncube’’s statement and description of party leader Morgan Tsvangirai as a person "too dangerous not only to the MDC, but to the rest of the country", needs further scrutiny.
To some of us, the statement did not come as a surprise. Tsvangirai is a threat not only to his own country, but also to the region as a whole. As an opposition party that enjoys a sizeable following in some urban areas of Zimbabwe, the MDC definitely needs a leader endowed with qualities that surpasses Tsvangirai’’s low self-esteem.
Drumming up support for MDC candidates for the Senate last week in Lupane, Prof Ncube labelled Tsvangirai as a man too dangerous to his own party and the whole nation in general. Indeed, and if left unchecked, Zimbabwe has got its own Jonas Savimbi in the making.
Tsvangirai’’s insatiable quest for power is so amazing, but a look in retrospect into his actions and statements paints a picture of a man who is pliable to manipulation and that poses a great danger to both the MDC and the nation.
Since its formation and under his leadership, the MDC has been used as a proxy by Western governments, non-governmental organisations, foreign intelligence organisations and a host of other nonentities to organise and push forward agendas that have absolutely nothing to do with the welfare of the ordinary people.
Some political commentators believe the irreversible disintegration on ethnic lines of the MDC has been accelerated by the pending Senate elections to be held on November 26. To a certain extent, that is true.
However, behind this strategic difference within the MDC lies the extremely important question of Tsvangirai’’s leadership style and qualities and a general weakness that naively makes him succumb to manipulation by foreign governments.
While Ncube’’s statement says it all, the learned professor must also be held accountable for the actions of his former boss because for five good years he was an adviser when it suited him; a blind follower when there were cherries to pick; and, ultimately, a close confidant of the blundering MDC leader. Why he took so long to come out from the closet and bare it all as he has now done, is a matter of conjecture.
Tsvangirai used the trade union movement as a springboard to enter into mainstream politics.
Having been propped up by the Government into a fully-fledged workers’’ representative body, the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) grew —— within a very short space of time —— into a powerful umbrella labour outfit. The then British High Commissioner, Peter Longworth, worked tirelessly paving the way for its transformation into a political party.
At the stroke of a pen, Tsvangirai became a proxy of the British government. He then co-opted intellectuals into the MDC ranks that included Prof Ncube. Ncube decided to play ball even though he knew the man was "dangerous".
Then came the so-called Zimbabwe Democracy and Economic Recovery Act (Zidera). No sane person or organisation that claims to represent the interests of the ordinary Zimbabwean can put forward an argument that supports this pernicious piece of legislation that has virtually crippled Zimbabwe’’s economy. But Prof Ncube appeared on ZTV showering accolades to the US Congress for coming up with such a "fine piece" of legislation.
Now that he has bared it all, it is possible there were some nice cherries to pick in return for the blind support he gave to Tsvangirai’’s position although in essence he did not support Zidera?
Tsvangirai displayed Savimbi traits in the failed protests dubbed the "final push". With massive funding from the United Kingdom and other European Union member states, this provided a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for all and sundry in the MDC leadership to line their pockets. Many did.
Perhaps it was at this stage that Prof Ncube should have blown the whistle against Tsvangirai, but honestly how could he? I remember reading his statements in the Press urging Zimbabweans to push out the "dictator" from State House yet deep inside his heart he knew Tsvangirai’’s agenda was "too dangerous" for Zimbabwe. But he chose to remain silent and continued picking the cherries.
Property worth millions of dollars was destroyed when, in militant style, MDC supporters countrywide torched buses and buildings. In some cases, they used dynamite to blow up buildings. In all this, Tsvangirai hoped to achieve the impossible —— to occupy State House through the use of force. If Ncube was honest enough, this was the time to open up. Instead, the professor blindly followed a man he knew was "dangerous" to both his party and the entire nation.
The split within the MDC is a harbinger to more revelations. The nation waits to hear from the professor who exactly is funding Tsvangirai and his faction to boycott the Senate elections. Names that include Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo and others have been suggested while the motive is also clear.
By leading the pro-Senate faction, Prof Ncube has realised the futility of foolishly following crazy ideas from a man who is not —— and has never been —— his own man.
Now that the learned professor has blown the whistle against his former boss, he should proceed and expose him for what he is —— a puppet.
Back to Home
|
