Sikhala declares truce with Tsvangirai

Sikhala declares truce with Tsvangirai

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By Clemence Manyukwe

OUTSPOKEN Movement for Democratic Change legislator Job Sikhala is seeking to make peace with his president, Morgan Tsvangirai and the MDC oligarchy, after a tense period of ideological and tactical differences, a Daily Mirror report said.

Addressing rallies recently, Tsvangirai fell short of naming Sikhala when he declared that he would not hesitate to expel rebels who refused to toe the party line causing division.

But Sikhala, the fiery sitting MP for St Mary’s who has been labelled a rebel due to his bold frankness, told a weekend rally in Kuwadzana that from now on he was throwing his weight behind Tsvangirai, even if it means ‘fighting’ to facilitate his ascendancy into State House.

In recent months Sikhala appeared to be falling out of Tsvangirai’s favoured circle of blue-eyed lieutenants. He seemed to have ruffled the MDC gurus’ feathers when he broke ranks by blasting them for imposing a candidate in the recent Zengeza by-election, which Zanu PF won.

Analysts said that attack highlighted the cracks within the MDC ranks. Sikhala has also openly attacked the party’s leadership and made other utterances that have been a cause for alarm, leaving observers wondering about his future in the MDC.

Early this year, he openly criticised Tsvangirai for threatening to boycott next year’s parliamentary election, describing it as a political blunder.

President Robert Mugabe has announced that the plebiscite will be held in March 2005, but recent reports indicate that they could be pushed backward to October this year, with Zanu PF hoping to capitalise on the MDC’s waning fortunes.

Sikhala was demonstrably averse to the imposition of James Makore as the MDC candidate in the by-election, favouring Charlton Hwende, who has since been ejected from the party for indiscipline.

Subsequently, the mercurial Sikhala, a former student leader, was accused of failing to campaign for James Makore, resulting in an MDC faction besieging his home.

But at the Kuwadzana rally, in apparent reference to the times before the fall-out, Sikhala said: “the founding spirit should come back” stressing the “need to re-energise.”

During his speech, the opposition leader appeared to warm up to Sikhala’s gestures. Tsvangirai said: “Let’s unite. I don’t know everything. If there is a problem, you should come forward and we can talk it over. I expect that some people will be coming (to join us). I don’t want to think (that) I am going forward with you, only to look back and find that I am alone.”

The MDC edifice has been marked by a covered fissure separating intellectuals and those whose roots are in trade unionism, with Tsvangirai reportedly (obviously) belonging to the latter.

The Kuwadzana rally, the first in the aftermath of the opposition’s recent loss in Lupane constituency, had a number of opposition legislators in attendance. They included Roy Bennett, Nelson Chamisa, who is the MP for the area, Willias Madzimure as well as the party’s national chairman Isaac Matongo.

Bennett, who recently assaulted two cabinet ministers in parliament, appeared to be the centre of attraction, receiving a rousing applause from MDC supporters.

Unrepentant and unyielding, Bennett declared:“ Zvekurarapasi uchichekwa musoro sehuku zvakapera. (The days when you could passively await slaughter like a chicken are over)”.

Despite being stricken by a string of electoral defeats in constituencies in which it had tremendous influence from 2000, Tsvangirai vowed that when the country goes back to the polls next year, his party would reclaim the seats.
Tsvangirai also urged his supporters to prepare for the coming parliamentary polls, but hinted at the possibility of a boycott if certain conditions pertaining to the electoral law were not met.

Using a soccer example for a possible withdrawal, he said there are times when footballers reach a stadium, find the pitch flooded with water and decide to refuse to play. The MDC has been arguing that the laws pertaining to the conducting of elections are steeped in favour of Zanu PF.
From the Daily Mirror
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