At the time Tsvangirai intended to use the Senate elections as an opportunity to accommodate senior party officials such as Isaac Matongo, Lucia Matibenga and Sekai Holland who had failed to make it to parliament, by finding them safe seats in which they could stand as senatorial candidates. Tsvangirai said that the move would “also help remove the financial burden to the party in terms of salaries. “

Tsvangirai changed his stance on the issue of participation in the Senate elections after a secret meeting in South Africa with former Zimbabwe Army General, Solomon Mujuru.

Tsvangirai had traveled to South Africa on the pretext that he was going to congratulate his daughter-in-law who had just a new baby. The main purpose of his visit though was to meet up with Mujuru and sell the MDC down the drain.

Rumours of a secret meeting filtered back to Harare and, on his return, Tsvangirai was confronted by senior colleagues. He admitted having held a secret meeting with Mujuru in South Africa but only said, "tichakutaurirai kuti zvichafambiswa sei.” To this day Tsvangirai has not disclosed full details of his secret meeting with Mujuru.

It is hard to see what Tsvangirai hoped to gain by cuddling up to Zanu PF. We suspect that Mujuru offered him ‘political rewards’ if he succeeded in pulling the MDC out of the Senate elections, thus allowing Zanu PF back into the MDC strong holds. Not for the first time Tsvangirai is guilty of gross naivety and appalling judgment. Mujuru offered Tsvangirai bait and he greedily took it in the hope of gaining political rewards. What a fool.

It is deeply regrettable that Morgan Tsvangirai attempted to hop into bed with Zanu PF and betray the people of Zimbabwe.

The fact that his little plan failed is a blessing to the whole country. We need leaders who are democratic, accountable and honest. Across Africa people are sick and tired of being betrayed by political leaders who claim to be acting in the people’s best interest but who in reality are only concerned with advancing their own narrow interests.

Tsvangirai’s fall from grace is not something to celebrate. His departure from democratic values, hi indulgence of youth militias, his willingness to accommodate Zanu PF on their terms and his template of deceit have left all of us who genuinely care for Zimbabwe with a deep sense of disappointment and betrayal.
Paul Themba Nyathi is the MDC's Secretary for Information and Publicity
JOIN THE DEBATE ON THIS ARTICLE ON THE NEWZIMBABWE.COM FORUMS
newsdesk@newzimbabwe.com