Where is this Train going?
The past sixteen years of struggle by the MDC to unseat the Zanu PF regime has held many highlights for me. One such highlight was in the very beginning when we had formed the Party and were campaigning against the referendum and then fighting our first election.
Mr. Mugabe was totally disdainful of us and made a speech where he belittled our leadership saying “What can a train driver (Sibanda – the Chairman of the Party) and a textile worker with little education (Tsvangirai) do, if and when, they are in Government?” A few days later, Morgan gave a press conference which attracted about six camera crews and perhaps 30 journalists.
One of the international journalists (I think it was the BBC) asked Morgan about these remarks and said “did the MDC have the capacity to form a government”. Morgan looked at him for a few moments and then said “You know, train drivers have many skills, but the one thing they must be able to do at all times, is keep their train on the tracks.” The whole room erupted with laughter – no more questions about capacity!!
We are truly derailed as a Country right now. Like an aged King Canute, Mr. Mugabe sits on his throne and gives orders and makes decisions that simply cannot be carried out. Like Canute, he is sitting on the beach with the tide coming in and despite all the evidence in front of him; he continues to maintain that the tide is in retreat.
This past week has been amazing, after years in which we in the MDC have seemed almost to campaign alone against tyranny and corruption and to demand change, real change, in how the country is governed, suddenly the country has stood up and spoken. It started with protests against new import restrictions and Police corruption. It spread across the country in many different forms and then a Pastor, with a flag around his neck called for a national stay away from work.