Movement for Democratic Change (MDC-T) leader Morgan Tsvangirai announced that his party will not go for primary elections ahead of 2018 general elections and even bragged that he would personally hand-pick the senatorial seats candidates. We must say what a shame!
The party is widely accepted as a pro-democracy party and one would wonder why Tsvangirai and his top allies want to exhibit such dictatorial tendencies now. Tsvangirai has been on record accusing President Robert Mugabe of being a dictator but, as it appears, the MDC-T leader is the actual dictator because Mugabe has never barred Zanu PF from going for elections.
To say primary elections would divide MDC-T is lazy thinking. MDC-T members have the right to elect candidates of their choice at primaries, candidates that will represent them at the 2018 general elections but Tsvangirai wants to take that right away while hiding behind a finger. People can only be divided if they do not have a strong leader and Tsvangirai is to blame for the mess in the party; primary elections are not to blame.
His thinking confirms that he is indeed weak, both physically and intellectually, and banning primary elections will not help his situation. He should rather allow MDC-T members to exercise their right by voting for candidates of their choice. Imposing candidates, like what Tsvangirai said would do on senatorial seats, is even more disastrous as it may lead to a protest vote.
Tsvangirai therefore, must stop imposing candidates and be a true democrat. Zanu PF would go to party with his silly miscalculations and that might cost MDC-T heavily next year. It is high time Tsvangirai finds real problems that are dividing the party instead of banning primaries.
Many former MDC-T supporters accuse Tsvangirai of being a dictator and this recent announcement seems to vindicate them. It is a fact that contenders seldom find common ground easily and if that is then taken as a problem, then Tsvangirai will simply impose his own favourites and get away with it. We call upon Tsvangirai to lead by example and be a true democrat.local
