THE notice by Speaker of Parliament, Jacob Mudenda, on Tuesday for the immediate withdrawal from Parliament of four MDC legislators has left opposition politics on the edge of a cliff, Zim Morning Post can report.
According to political analysts, the surface remains deceptive of the real political intrigue currently playing out of the public view.
Analysts say the real battle of wits still remains in Parliament and the Senate, with whoever wins control of opposition legislators between the two rival MDC factions likely to obtain the victory on the platter.
Recent revelations by Justice minister Ziyambi Ziyambi could, however, emasculate many legislators within the opposition ranks, making open resistance against the Thokozani Khupe-led MDC grouping almost impossible.
“The money (ZWL7.5 million) has not been released yet because of COVID-19, but I think claims by the (Douglas) Mwonzora group are correct.
“My understanding is that the Alliance is a grouping of several parties and the MDC is the biggest party in that Alliance,” he said.
Meanwhile and despite spirited protestations by the MDC Alliance leadership to the contrary, political analysts who spoke to Zim Morning Post consider as futile attempts by the Chamisa outfit to salvage anything on the legal front.
“One of the tragic effects of the Supreme Court judgment was the invalidation of all decisions made by Chamisa, both in his capacities as acting president and eventually president of the MDC.
“That position is unlikely to change anytime soon,” a political scientist with the University of Zimbabwe, who preferred anonymity, told Zim Morning Post.
Emboldened by the vice presidency post, Chamisa had reportedly quickly moved in to position himself as MDC leader in the wake of Morgan Tsvangirai’s death from colon cancer in a South African Hospital in 2018.
“Such were wasted efforts by youthful Chamisa, but we all await to see what he and his colleagues in the MDC Alliance have up their sleeves,” the political scientist added.
Meanwhile, in an interview with this publication mid last month, MDC Alliance secretary general Charlton Hwende was strenuous in legitimising his party as endowed with power over all opposition legislators.
“We have since moved away from that era (of being MDC party members).
“We now have a new political party formed in 2018; MDC Alliance,” he said then.
This publication on Wednesday spoke to Morgen Komichi, the MDC national chairperson, asking why the MDC took the decision to recall just the four legislators, seemingly sparring the bulk.
MDC, under the MDC Alliance banner, got more than 80 seats in both Parliament and the Senate.
“Those legislators were targeted for their bad influence in trying to incite a rebellion against the MDC; a party which provided them with the tickets to Parliament and the Senate in 2018.
“The Supreme Court ruling is very clear on which party currently holds fort over opposition legislators,” he said.
Zim Morning Post also asked Komichi what mechanism – if any – was in place to keep under check and control the other opposition legislators going forward.
“We have a mutual understanding with the majority of our legislators.
“We know that most of them were forced to write and sign up affidavits declaring allegiance to Chamisa and a few others within the so-called MDC Alliance party ranks.
“About 95 percent of the opposition legislators have assured us of their undivided loyalty,” Komichi said.
The publication then caught up with Job Sikhala to get his views on the recalling by Parliament of the four MDC legislators.
“I don’t have the authority to comment on those issues, as it is only the secretary general, Hwende, who can do so,” he said.
Asked by this journalist where his allegiance laid between the two MDC rival factions, Sikhala angrily retorted:
“How can you call to ask me such a foolish question?
“Where would you expect my allegiance to be, tell me?” he asked.
Zim Morning Post also sought the view of author and political analyst Paidamoyo Muzulu on what he thought was the way forward for opposition politics in Zimbabwe following the recalling of four MDC legislators by Khupe and others.
“Both sides have to ensure full implementation of the Supreme Court ruling.
“Any other obstacles will have to be dealt with within the confines of the recent Supreme Court judgment,” Muzulu said.
