By Wisdom Mumera
Since its formation in 1999 the MDC has suffered 5 splits which have ultimately left it in a sorry state, weighed heavy by history and crawling to a sure death.
In 2005 it split over differences whether to participate in Senate elections with Tsvangirai against and the Mutambara faction eager to contest.
This led to the creation of MDC-T of Tsvangirai and MDC-M led by Mutambara.
In 2014 Tendai Biti led another breakaway by forming MDC Renewal which later morphed into the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
2020 saw Thokozani Khupe ejected from power by Douglas Mwonzora and this created another split.
In 2022 it was Nelson Chamisa’s turn to form Citizens Coalition for Change.
That again has failed to survive as he has since dumped the outfit accusing it of being a victim of infiltration.
The Staying Power of ZANU PF
Through that sequence of opposition tantrums, rhetorical spouting of being the true custodians of democracy and promises of grandeur, ZANU PF has largely remained a united outfit.
It has had its own factional divisions but neither have the differences led to the creation of anything serious.
The many politicians like Joyce Mujuru, Didymus Mutasa and Saviour Kasukuwere who have been expelled or exited have failed to muster anything outside it.
The ruling party has experienced serious differences which have resulted in the deaths of many people and upheavals with national repercussions.
However, that has never translated into serious splits that can be said to have castrated the potency of the party.
It remains ZANU PF, cunning and fatal.
The ruling party has mustered the art of managing its differences without dumping the sink with the baby.
The party remains supreme to the point of ejecting Mugabe when he had become an existential threat to its survival.
Comparatively, the opposition has failed in that regard as the party remains secondary to the maverick characters who believe themselves to be fountains of its potency.
That flawed understanding of what is superior has allowed ZANU PF to persistently engineer and tamper with the opposition.
Sengezo Tshabangu has been the latest product of that.
Amendment No3 And Chiwenga’s Illusion
The latest chapter in the ruling party’s own factional differences have Vice President Chiwenga straining against President Mnangagwa’s cunning statecraft.
It’s in that context that Constitutional Amendment No3 has emerged not as an improvement of national laws but a weaponised legal attack against Chiwenga’s ambitions and a protection mechanism for preferences of the status quo.
In that whole fight the party remains sacrosanct as each individual fights for their objective.
Chiwenga’s own quest against Constitutional Amendment No3 isn’t about the very ideals which he has been talking about.
History has a trail of his thinking patterns about changing laws to suit the party agenda.
Its only when the changed laws contravene against his political ambitions that it becomes a problem.
It is thus a dangerous error to mistake him for some kind of saviour who should be embraced in the battle to stop the Constitutional mutilation.
In fact his vehicle into politics, Operation Restore Legacy, underscores how he equally dumped expected democratic ideals to advance personal ambitions.
Once ensconced in power as the leader of ZANU PF, the VP has already displayed enough traits for one to predict that he won’t be any different.
As President Mnannagwa has continued with the ethos, ideals and culture of ZANU PF, Chiwenga is likely to do the same once he realises his ambitions.
The party remains supreme for both men and their fight around Constitutional Amendment No3 is to each a matter of personal objectives.
Thus while the opposition ranks may spy an ally in Chiwenga in the battle to stop the amendments history and facts show that the ruling party seldom creates formidable enemies from within.
Many who have had differences from within always find their way back there.
The late Blessed Geza had no problem with all things ZANU PF until his faction felt hard-done and capitalised on national grievances to advance selfish political objectives.
The same applies to the recent group of “Retired Generals” fronted by Air Marshal Muchena.
Their letter was a headlined by a disclaimer of supporting the party and being its sons, even when disagreeing with it.
Because ultimately the party remains superior and none of them is willing to fight it.
What they are against, despite the stated reasons aligning with fighting Constitutional Amendment No3, remains the Mnangagwa faction!
Remove Mnangagwa today and tomorrow it will be Chiwenga and the army gang advancing the very same constitutional amendments!
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