Leave state agents alone: Tsvangirai will destroy himself

By Tendai Moyo
Recent media stories about alleged plans by state agents to arrest Morgan Tsvangirai are a plain indication of how the MDC-T is vainly trying to deflect the irretrievably negative publicity that the Prime Minister has generated through his inimitable sexual debauchery.

In spite of presiding over a political career fraught with leadership inadequacies and intellectual paucity, the MDC-T leader recently shot himself in the foot by piously and unshakably defending gay rights.

He unceremoniously told the world that he wants gay rights universally recognised and enshrined in our constitution. The issue caused fury and despondency among Zimbabweans, who traditionally view homosexuality as anathema to their culture and tradition.

Hard on the heels of this homosexual furore, he further stirred the hornet's nest when his bed hoping antics were dramatically bared to the public by the media. All these revelations claimed the political scalp of the premier hence his party's feverish attempt to divert the nation's attention from his moral debasement by falsely attacking the state agents.

It is a naked attempt to placate a palpably disconcerted electorate; a firefighting attempt to manage the soiled image of the PM. Unfortunately, the attempt is replete with concocted claims and downright speculations. The state agents have conveniently been turned into the MDC-T's punching bag. Perplexingly, how could the security agents who have provided impregnable security to the Prime Minister for the past two years now turn against their principal?

One wonders why the security agents would want to smear campaign an already dirty politician. There surely is no need to plant anything in order to frame Tsvangirai. For it is an undeniable fact that the man has personally planted a motley of moral, intellectual and ideological booby traps that will ultimately inflict maximum damage to his political career.

Even his handlers like Christopher Dell have acknowledged that he is a flawed figure that needs massive handholding. Our professional state agents cannot waste their precious time and resources flogging a dead horse? They cannot mar their international reputation by ensnaring an already disintegrating figure like Tsvangirai. Without lifting a hand they will watch as he self destructs.

Interestingly, if the state agents really wanted to pounce on the premier, they could have capitalised on his now emblematic reckless statements and actions. Most recently, he called on Zimbabweans to unconstitutionally remove their government from power through uprisings similar to those that took place in Egypt and other countries in North Africa.

This was a treasonous call that was ably captured in the media and could have provided a prima facie case against the blubbering leader. Moreso, Tsvangirai could have been arrested for contempt of court when he disdainfully attacked High Court Judges for refusing to give bail to Elton Mangoma who was facing some corruption charges.

In contempt of the court, Tsvangirai lambasted the judiciary for being partisan saying they have become 'a willing appendage of Zanu-PF'. Furthermore, the WikiLeaks have incriminated the premier in various treacherous and prosecutable arrangements with imperial countries.

Without setting any traps, the premier can clearly be pinned down for a number of self inflicted charges that range from treason to espionage. In its accusations against the state agents, the MDC-T also claimed that the security agents are intent on scuttling the GPA. They alleged that together with a clique in Zanu-PF, the state agents want to bring the government of national unity to an end.

However, those who are closely following the wobbly life of the inclusive Government will testify that Zanu-PF has proved to be a very sincere and committed partner in this transient arrangement. Since the formation of the Inclusive Government, Zanu- PF has commendably conceded a lot of political ground to the MDC's to ensure that this flawed arrangement survives. The party bequeathed quite a number of powerful ministries and ambassadorial posts to its ungrateful partners in government all for the sake of the inclusive Governments prosperity.

The revolutionary party also acceded to a number of reforms that saw the creation of new commissions and the amendment of certain laws like POSA. Other concessions have subsequently ushered in new players in both the electronic and print media.

If the state agents and Zanu- PF where really against the inclusive Government as reported, they could have easily resisted or blocked these transformations. In fact it is now becoming apparent that the revolutionary party has made more strides in fulfilling the spirit and letter of the GPA. While the other partners in the cobbled government remained lethargic, Zanu-PF went all out in support of the constitutional outreach programme.

It actively mobilised and sensitised its members to participate in the noble exercise which is a major requirement of the GPA. The state agents' commitment to the Inclusive Government is also vouched for by their unflinching willingness to give the MDC-T a chance to be in government despite the fact that the party is a security threat as it openly consorts with the county's detractors. Admittedly, the MDCT is unquestionably an appendage of the West and as such an undesirable element in security matters.

On another note, it could be helpful if the MDC-T was able to distinguish between genuine attempts to bring the inclusive Government to its logical electoral conclusion and its unsubstantiated claims that state agents simply want to boot it out of the temporary ruling arrangement. It is clear to all of us that with time the inclusive Government must come to an end and pave way for an elected government.

In fact, it is the mandate of the inclusive Government to work towards its own dissolution through electoral means. As such, it is deeply worrying that the MDC-T negatively views efforts to bring the inclusive Government to an end as disruptive and unwarranted.

Why would it want this arrangement to survive forever? Could it be that its members who are ministers in this government have become ensconced to power and its luxurious entrapments that they could no longer dream of letting go?

Considering the perpetual squabbles in the unity government spawned by ideological differences among the political partners, it is incumbent that we expeditiously work towards its dissolution. The MDC-T should therefore quickly embrace calls for elections and other complementary efforts to bring the inclusive Government to its end.

There is nothing sinister about these efforts as they are in line with the dictates of the GPA that stipulates that there is a temporary arrangement that must lead to elections. This is the only way we can bring the political logjam in government to an end for the betterment of our country.