By Virimayi Chidembo
MDC is indeed a perennial electoral loser and this fact is now undisputed after a massive trouncing, the party received in the by-election held over the weekend for the vacant Mutoko North constituency.
Since the formation of the MDC, before the numerous splits that left the opposition party resorting to Tsvangirai's name to distinguish itself from its splinter groups, the party has been struggling to make a mark on the political scene.
Even after grouping the splinter groups to make what they termed an Alliance, the party still finds the electoral road murky.
In fact, one of the major reasons for the splits in the MDC has been attributed to dictatorial tendencies of those holding on to power in opposition vis-à-vis failing to deliver electoral victory.
The Alliance in its form today has been making suicidal political decisions that have contributed to its supporters beginning to doubt the pedigree of its leaders. Chamisa has been making unilateral decisions, firing elected mayors and imposing his cronies all in the hope of protecting his presidency at the forthcoming congress.
President Mnangagwa is gaining more popularity, as evidenced by the oversubscribed Presidential Thank You rally held in Mashonaland West.
On the other hand, Chamisa recently went throughout the country where he addressed paltry crowds, psyching them to engage in useless demos to retrieve what he is terming a “stolen election”.
The Alliance managed 63 National Assembly seats in this year 2018 harmonised elections, compared to ZANU PF's 145, Independent 1 and NPF 1.
The question that currently begs a response is why Chamisa still insisting that he won the 30 July election when it’s evident he never did?
The Mutoko North electoral results are a preview of what transpired during the 30 July election. Rambidzai Nyabote of ZANU PF received 11 141 against his closest rival Boniface Mushore of MDC Alliance who got 1329 and Edson Mugoma of NCA with a paltry 94 votes. ZANU PF got the massive rural vote which ensured the party’s victory even during the 30 July election.
A word of advice to Chamisa, instead of crying foul for the next five years that he won the election, he should be coming up with strategies for the 2023 election, lest he again moan the loudest, “I was robbed of the election”.
