Sunday, April 16, 2006

MDC TORONTO - YOU NEED TO BE SERIOUS

Yes, the Toronto MDC branch held its protest on Saturday, April 15, 2006 and as far as I am concerned, it was a big flop.

Any protest is supposed to have a well articulated ( in words and action) message to a well defined audience which is forced to take notice and must react. Did this happen on Saturday? No, and here is why;

First, due to poor preparation, only about 40 Zimbabweans turned up at Queens Park. Of that number, about two-thirds were the Toronto executive and their Niagara counterparts.

Yet, there are thousands of Zimbabweans in Toronto, most of who are members of the party. They would have really loved to come and take part, if only they knew exactly what they would be taking part in, where, why and for what. Members were never let in on preparations for this protest.

In fact, I remember one dedicated MDC supporter who e-mailed the executive suggesting a few things that could make the protest a success. That member was dressed down. He was told the executive had checked the membership register and since his name was not in it, he was not welcome to the meetings and, subsequently, the protest. The e-mail circulated among Zimbabweans, and with the kind of rebuke the member received, other people simply shied away.

To set off the protest, the executive led the protesters in singing “Ishe Komborera Africa” (God Bless Africa), can you believe it? Zimbabwe discarded the continental anthem 11 years ago. It has its own anthem called “Simudzai Mureza WeZimbabwe.” (Lift Up The Zimbabwean Flag). What kind of patriotism is that?

Then came the message, well, I can only describe it as muddled. I could not tell whether it was a history lesson or what?

After all this sham, what does the Toronto executive do, host a barbecue. Yes, its the second time this has happened. What are you now Toronto MDC, a social club?

I see political immaturity in the Toronto MDC executive. There is a lot of self-serving and self-importance on the expense of a serious party which represents a lot of Zimbabweans.

What Mr. Manyevere and his colleagues need to realize is that you are representing us all and whatever you do at Queens Park, in the name of MDC reflects on us all as Zimbabweans. If we do not take ourselves seriously, nobody will.

Maybe you should learn from the enemy, Zanu PF itself. When Mugabe and others were leading their party in exile, they represented us all with dignity. It is now your turn, take a leaf from them.

I suggest again that you seek advisors, consultants and other people to help you.

TO READ MORE OF MY WRITING, PLEASE VISIT;
www.torontosun.ca/News/Columnists/Madawo_Innocent/
www.catholicregister.org
www.canadiannewcomermagazine.org
http://www.thecanadian.ca/