A couple of weeks ago, whilst Arthur Mutambara was in Uganda with Robert Mugabe, Job Sikhala announced that he was the new leader of the smaller MDC faction.

Since that time, we have heard no reaction from any of the three political principals in Zimbabwe.

Mugabe has not uttered a word - Morgan Tsvangirai has not uttered a word – and, perhaps even more surprisingly, Mutambara himself has not uttered a word.

If the ‘palace coup’ was as serious as analysts seem to indicate, why have we not had anyone speak out about it - whether they supported this public dethroning or not?

And then, to add more confusion to the situation, another body has declared itself the leader of the faction.

“Yet another faction led by Mashonaland Central’s national executive member, Edwin Dzambara has emerged, declaring itself the legitimate leadership of the beleaguered party.

Dzambara claims he is now the new secretary general of the party and has got the ball rolling by writing to Speaker of the House, Lovemore Moyo, advising him to ignore the contents of a letter written by Mutambara last month advising him to expel three of his MPs he had fired for alleged indiscipline.”

So - where does this leave the political climate in Zimbabwe? We have ZANU PF under the leadership of Robert Mugabe, the President of Zimbabwe (or, to abide by the edict of the President’s office: “The Head of State and Government and Commander in-Chief of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces President Robert Mugabe“) who engineered a sham one man election into office last year having beaten the MDC support to a pulp using his various arms of government to effect the walk-over, Morgan Tsvangirai, head of the larger MDC faction and the Prime Minister who has little authority and power - to the point that the pro-Mugabe service chiefs will not even salute him, and then smaller faction of the MDC, on paper led by Deputy Prime Minister Arthur Mutambara, but disputed by Job Sikhala and Edwin Dzambara.

How do the assumed leaders of Zimbabwe justify even having a ‘unity government’ if they ignore each other - and outsiders that make claim to the lesser throne of the smaller MDC faction?

Mugabe must relish this confusion - even if he has chosen not to say anything about it. He loves that the MDC is mired in such disarray - even if it is the smaller faction.

The seats held by the smaller faction of the MDC, if allied with those held by ZANU PF would give, in effect, the majority back to Mugabe.

And Mugabe continues to apply pressure on the main faction of the MDC by preferring trumped up charges against their MPs, hoping to win the subsequent by-elections following the connived and contrived conviction and imprisonment of those caught up in his web.

For Mugabe, it is business as usual, with the MDC faction having to spend most of their time putting out fires (started by ZANU PF) and slowly, ever so slowly, ZANU PF win back the seat count until they are able to declare themselves a one party State again, thereby making the MDC not only illegal, but superfluous.

Zimbabwean politics continues to circle the drain. It is only a matter of time before it slips headlong into the abyss.

Robb WJ Ellis
The Bearded Man