Many of the newly elected MDC MPs are “hiding”. They know that they can be picked up on trumped up charges very easily and spend at least two weeks on remand before they are released without charge. The people are not going to rise up if that happens so there would be no point in them risking it. As much as we would like to remove Mugabe as the Roumanians did Ceausescu, it isn’t going to happen that way.

I think the diplomatic approach is correct at the moment. The pressure HAS to come from Africa – SADC and the AU. The incident with the Chinese arms shipment has been very promising, with no regional country letting it dock. The longer Mugabe delays the release of the presidential election result, the more evident it is that he lost, and the harder it will be for SADC to recognize his legitimacy.

I don’t think the parliamentary recounts are going to remove the MDC’s majority in the House of Assembly, neither do I think that they can fix them to come out with more votes for Mugabe than for Tsvangirai. I don’t think Mugabe can bear getting fewer votes than Tsvangirai even if the latter gets less than 50%. So even with a rigged run-off, Mugabe wouldn’t control Parliament. He can’t govern “democratically” like that. So he might as well either declare a coup before a run-off if he wants to go that route. But SADC and the AU won’t have that, to say nothing of the UN, etc. The MDC’s present diplomatic moves are making sure of that, and ZANU(PF) continue to assist by digging further into their inextricable hole.

Mugabe has no option but to go. Yes, he’s delaying it as long as possible, but in the end he’ll have to go – and it’ll be sooner rather than later. So hang in there. We just have to be patient a bit longer.

Of course, I might be completely wrong about all this!

Thanks for your concern and your supportive tone. What I write is a reflection of what many Zimbabweans are feeling/experiencing – seriously.

It is very dangerous to confuse dissent/criticism with divisiveness. The opposition must also be receptive to non-gratuitous criticism.

You are overseas and still you have a right to weigh in and debate these issues. Here in Zimbabwe there are a number of weaknesses in the MDC that are negatively impacting on Zimbabweans.

For example, the MDC does not communicate in any way besides sending the very occasional email. I wonder if their web site is updated as I write. They don’t use SMS. They don’t publish a street newspaper to keep us informed in this awful, awful information vacuum that we are experiencing.

Morgan Tsvangirai has not clearly articulated through a variety of fora available to him as to why he thinks working from Botswana is a good idea – what, then are people supposed to think?

Zimbabweans are intelligent people. They saw how useless the UN was in Rwanda – how will little old Zimbabwe rate in their list of priorities?

As I write we get the sense of no local MDC leadership. Fine, if you feel it’s important that Morgan garner international and regional support, but where is the rest of the MDC at this very, very critical time.

Here is an example of an email I’ve just received, which speaks directly to what I’m saying about a lack of direction, information and clear strategy from the MDC:

Dangerously unhappy:
I am getting many SMS messages from the MDC youth now desperately looking for guns, saying that they are tired of been chased and beaten by Mugabe’s youth, obviously I do not have arms to give them and so tell them that Morgan wants all his people to stay calm and peaceful.

I’m not down in the mouth, I’m Angry. The international community is not going to come charging in to help no matter how much Morgan shuttles around. We might get a few more travel bans and names on sanctions lists.

Morgan has done nothing to reach out to supporters post election. There are many ways to do this whilst side-stepping state-controlled media. Essentially, here in Zimbabwe we have experienced a media blackout from the MDC itself.

Right now Morgan should be doing some hospital visits reaching out to those who voted for him, and who have been subsequently brutalised.

Freedom is not won on television, or via quiet diplomacy but rather in concert with other actions that both put pressure on the regime internally, as well as lift the spirits of those working toward diplomacy.

Morgan is going to have even less chance of effecting real change from a safe base outside of Zimbabwe.

He needs to reconnect with Zimbabweans. Now.

Sounds like you’re getting a bit down in the mouth mate, let me assure you that Morgans taken the right path, international presure to get something done is growing and most notably africa has changed it’s stance on Zimbabwe all thanks to Morgan. You say you want him back on the frontline, he is already on the frontline.

In my humble opinion, morgan putting pressure on the international community is the right way to go, what can he do at home he’s powerless, most of the electorate won’t even get to hear whats being done anyway beause from what I can gather from out here, besides state media, a media blackout is in force in the rural areas, and most of MDCs activists are heading for the hills.

It’s important that Morgan gets as much attention focused on zim now, remember we have +/-50 000 ex zanla and zipra fighters itching to get at mugabe, on top of this, zimbabweans are hungry and desperate. I believe they are on the edge, just a few well organised attacks on mugabes forces by ex zanla and zipra fighters, or Morgans death at the hands of mugabe, could be the spark, the whole country will go on a rampage, and while the world sees us zimbabweans as docile I know better. Morgans busy rallying support and visible on the world stage so at least this way we have him out of the equation as a possible spark, should he be killed or imprisoned on his return. The response time that Morgans bought for us by rallying international support may save a few thousand lives.

I know it must look different from your perspective, but don’t give up the game now, you’ve come so far. I am proud to call Morgan my president, his bravery and dedication make me proud that I’m a Zimbabwean.

John,