Toxicity forces Biti into early political exit
HARARE, Zimbabwe — Firebrand opposition activist and former Finance Minister Tendai Biti has called it a day in opposition politics marking an end to a dramatic two decades in the trenches fighting for political change in Zimbabwe.
Biti waltzed into opposition politics as a fierce human rights lawyer and became Member of Parliament in 2000 before he assumed the powerful Secretary General of the MDC-T in 2005.
He was to be a vital cog for the MDC-T led by the late former opposition leader, Morgan Tsvangirai, as the chief negotiator leading the pack to a historic inclusive government dubbed the Government of National Unity (GNU) in 2008 to 2013 where he served as the Finance Minister.
Despite holding a colourful record in the "struggle", the toxicity in the opposition camp has finally pushed him into quitting.
“It’s embarrassing,” Biti told a local media outlet. “Particularly for people like me who have been in the trenches for a long time, who bear the scars of fighting.”
He accused some in the opposition camp of joining the feeding trough.
“All of us, all of them are now waiting to receive vehicles, to get a call to go and see Victor. And that’s not good enough,” Biti said, in apparent reference to a popular but infamous call by businessman Wicknell Chivayo in his vehicle donation crusade.
MDC leaders lost themselves during the GNU when Mugabe bribed them with the trappings of high office and the forgot about implementing reforms - the number one task the party was launched to do. As minister in the GNU Biti got a E-Class Mercedes Benz.
Since the GNU debacle, he has participated in the flawed elections knowing that doing soo will give Zanu PF legitimacy and perpetuate the nation’s suffering. He did not care about that. He knew Zanu PF was giving away a few gravy train seats to entice the opposition to participate and that he could not resist!
Of course, Tendai Biti is a sell out. Zanu PF is still in power today because he and his fellow MDC/CCC leaders sold out on reforms and have been participating in flawed elections to perpetuate the dictatorship. History will know him for betraying the nation boy failing to implement any democratic reforms in 25 years including 5 GNU years. He and his fellow MDC/CCC sell outs can fcuk off the political stage. Go and good riddance!