by Christopher Makaza
The Nelson Chamisa-led MDC has failed to put up fully constituted party structures in rural areas due to Zanu PF dominance and dwindling finances, a move that has always allowed the ruling party to have a stroll in the park in many council and parliamentary by-elections.
This was revealed at an MDC Mashonaland East Provincial Executive Committee (PEC) meeting held in Marondera some weeks ago where the opposition party`s Mashonaland East Provincial Assembly Organising Secretary Golden Mutize said the party was failing to fully constitute structures because the province is a Zanu PF stronghold. Mutize cited Districts like Uzumba Maramba Pfungwe (UMP), Mudzi, Mutoko and Chikomba where he said the MDC had no fully constituted branches.
Other areas Mutize said had no fully constituted structures include Wedza, Goromonzi and Murewa. However, Mutize said Marondera and Seke had 36 and 107 fully constituted branches while Goromonzi and Murewa had partially constituted structures.
Political analysts said since its inception, the MDC had failed to craft policies which are realistic and helpful especially to the rural electorate and that their visibility in the rural areas remains poor.
“People want bread and butter issues to be addressed, but the MDC chooses to ignore that and focus on issues at the periphery,” said one political analyst who preferred anonymity.
The political analyst went on to say, “Although the new dispensation created a conducive and free electoral playing field where MDC has been able to campaign without intimidation in what were once no-go areas during former President Robert Mugabe`s rule, the opposition party has failed to win the hearts of the rural electorate,” said Itai Nyambuya.
In a desperate attempt to penetrate Zanu PF strongholds, the opposition is allegedly targeting to recruit influential people within Zanu PF to destabilise the ruling party ahead of 2023 general election.
Meanwhile, the opposition party is trying to use church pastors to spread its gospel in rural areas. On that note, MDC created a Chaplin’s department which it is now transforming into a pressure group called Christian Network to ensure independence from the party so that it attracts funding from donors.
