On Monday, 11 December, the leader and presidential candidate of the opposition alliance called Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) Morgan Tsvangirai sent a three-member delegation on a global campaign to put pressure on incumbent President Emmerson Mnangagwa and his government to implement electoral reforms.
The high-powered delegation includes former Finance minister Tendai Biti, the Vice-President of MDC-T Nelson Chamisa and Welshman Ncube, who is the spokesperson for the alliance. Their first stop has been in the United States of America where they were set to have meetings at President Donald Trump's offices. They want to scale up international pressure on President Emmerson Mnangagwa to effect electoral reforms which will even the playing field ahead of the fast-approaching 2018 elections.
However, they have come under strong attack from fellow Zimbabweans who have harshly accused them of soliciting for more sanctions to be hurled towards Zimbabwe. They argue that as they are pushing for electoral reforms, they are also begging for more sanctions.
The MDC has suffered criticism for engaging the United of America first before the Zimbabweans, the SADC and the AU. Some went as far as saying they should have consulted President Mnangagwa first.
One self-proclaimed Mnangagwa supporter named Jones Musara wrote on Twitter, "Its gross sadism that the MDC Alliance has begged for Sanctions whose devastating effects are to further:isolate Zim,stigmatize Zim, increase country risk perception, discourage investment,increase cost of doing business,destroy the economy all wc result in suffering of the pple!"
The Senate had initially said that they would not remove sanctions from Zimbabwe but would just work with the country towards meaningful development.
The insinuations and accusations made against the opposition in Zimbabwe show how much the people are discrediting the opposition, as if it has no role at all. This has markedly raised fears that there could be a tyranny of the majority, as prominent lawyer, academic and former adviser to Morgan Tsvangirai Dr Alex Magaisa said.
There are others who have stood in the opposition's corner, arguing that they were invited and people must not attack them, because they never attack the ruling party when their officials go for meetings in countries like China.