International Socialist Organisation (Zimbabwe) - Relationship With The MDC

Relationship With The MDC

The ISO joined the MDC from its inception in 1999. This move was based upon the tactic of entryism. The ISO viewed the MDC as a united front, with the aim "Firstly to facilitate maximum unity between revolutionaries and reformists" and "Secondly ... as a platform to increase the influence of revolutionary politics and to build a revolutionary organisation". The union was described as "Kuchaya mapoto, husahwira hwe mubhawa", that is like the temporary marriages of migrant workers enter in to in rural areas in the absences of their wives. Munyaradzi Gwisai, the general coordinator of the ISO, became an MDC member of parliament for Highfield constituency (where many politicians live). The relationship between the ISO and the MDC leadership was acrimonious, for example MDC leaders made a series of personal attacks on Gwisai following a publication of an ISO paper blaming the party's declining fortunes on "the highjacking of the party by the bourgeoisie" and failure to deal with the question of land reform.

The ISO was finally expelled from the MDC in April 2002. They stood for re-election in the Highfield constituency against the MDC but failed to get re-elected. The ISO blames the failure of the MDC to over throw President Robert Mugabe's regime on their lack of radicalism and their shift rightwards and the fact that this has allowed ZANU-PF to gain by left posturing.

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