What is however shocking about these outstanding issues is the fact that the main issues that are on the agenda include issues to do with power like the sharing of provincial governors, ambassadors and permanent secretaries as well as the plight of activists who have been in and out of prison
However, when the MDC activists were arrested on trumped up charges of recruiting people for military training in Botswana, a record 7 activists of the MDC were abducted and up to now their whereabouts are not known
One can only imagine, given the ruthless history of the ZANU PF machinery that they have paid the ultimate prize .
In my view, the fate of these activists must be the number one agenda on the outstanding issues as opposed to issues of power that have now dominated the discussion of the outstanding issues
One can only imagine how the families of these activists who were MDC foot soldiers and are still unaccounted for feel when they hear the leadership quarrel about power trinkets at the expense of fighting to shed light as to where these activists are
In our culture, death is a sacred and sacrosanct issue and if these activists were killed as its now likely given that they have never been heard of again, then it means that their families have a legitimate right to know for sure and a right to receive their remains for a decent burial which they legitimately deserve .
Therefore the people of Zimbabwe, on the basis of moral principle expect their leadership not to be trapped by power but to argue forcefully for the fate of these gallant and selfless cadres? to be brought to finality so that their families can indeed come to grips with the reality of their fate
The silence about these cadres is not only wrong but worrying.
The MDC leadership must not forget that they owe their new positions and Mercedes Benzes to the priceless efforts of these ordinary village activists who toiled at great risk to themselves and their families in order to bring victory to the MDC
Theirs was an unthankful effort, mobilizing on the ground at great risk to themselves and their families for little recognition.
They did not have any positions, did not expect to get any position but fought gallantly on the ground for the party they love often without any recognition
Zimbabwe cries for a new brand of politics which is based on common sense, moral credibility and not personal aggrandizement if the dreams of the millions of opposition supporters are not to be betrayed
Therefore, we expect the MDC leadership to put the fate of these activists on top of the agenda in all negotiations of outstanding issues.
There can never be anything outstanding beyond the 7 activists whose whereabouts are still unknown up to this day.
The fact that they did not have any high profile names does not diminish the vital role they played in the struggle for change in Zimbabwe
In most cases, the people who make a difference in the struggle are the ordinary but brave villagers who toil day and night for change for nothing in return but for their deep belief in the just cause
As president Barack Obama once said, When we send our young men into harm's way , we have a moral obligation not to fudge the numbers , hide the truth about where they are going but to care for them when they are back and to care for their families if they fail to return to their hometowns?
Given the shocking silence of the MDC as regards the fate of the abducted activists in favor of positions, one shudders to imagine as to whether any help is being rendered to their families since they did not come back
Given that 3 full ministers have been appointed for national healing, there is no better place to start the process than shedding light around the fate of these activists.
The MDC leadership must not betray their activists on the alter of political power.
At least let history record that the party tried by all means to ascertain the fate of these activists by making sure that this issue is number 1 on outstanding issues as opposed to useless positions which are now being given prominence
Garikai Chimuka is the Senior Political Analyst at GMRI Capital. He is based in the Netherlands and can be contacted at garikai@gmricapital.com
