The MpD in the Mirror of a Zoocratic Matrix: Hyperbolic Analysis of Post-Electoral Contradictions and Enigmas

In this analysis, I propose to explore the MpD – Movement for Democracy – through a hyperbolic lens, revealing traitors and betrayed, incompatibilities and privileges, marginalization of the bases and the contradictions of a government that seems to be at the mercy of authentic adversaries and the rise of PAICV cadres within the ministries and consulates, even under the MpD banner.

1. Traitors, Betrayed and False Negatives

The current political scenario allows us to identify two main castes in the MpD: the betrayed, who entered the local government lists as supposedly decisive voting factors, but who turned out to be false negatives; and the traitors, who, in a triumphalist tone, now claim that they would have been capable of winning the elections if they had been chosen.

But it is impossible to ignore other “false negatives”. These are those who circulate elitist ideas, feeding the narrative that only a few work for the MpD. This fallacy cannot stand up to the truth that we know: the effort for the party is collective and cannot be limited to the exaltation of names that, often, act more for self-promotion than for the party cause.

Here, the metaphor of the political jungle presents us with the former as tamed lions, displaying their majesty without roaring, and the latter as opportunistic hyenas, who feed on the carcasses of defeats to strengthen their ambitions.

2. The Incompatibilities Paradox and the Silent Beneficiaries

As a party in government, the MpD carries a paradoxical burden: it defends the foundations of its statutes while capitulating to the song of incompatibilities. The real beneficiaries of the system – chairmen of boards of directors (PCAs), directors and senior officials – become targets of a statute that prohibits their political participation. But, at the same time, they are fundamental cogs in the machinery of power. This is a theater of the absurd in which the protagonist imposes on himself the constraints that undermine his efficiency, while watching his opponent dance freely on the electoral stage.

3. Selective Blindness in Campaign Authorizations and the "kakistocrats"

The contradictions do not end there. There is no way to remain silent about the disparity in campaign authorizations. While MpD candidates faced administrative and political limitations, PAICV candidates received full authorization to promote their agenda. This situation only reinforces the perception that the MpD leadership lacks internal strategic alignment, raising doubts as to whether the party's cadres have enough strength and support to compete on equal terms.

One of the greatest paradoxes of the MpD as a governing party is its selective blindness, an almost pathological inability to recognize and value good cadres within its own ranks. Instead, the party oscillates between making room for cadres who are adversaries of the PAICV and promoting its own “kakistocrats” – individuals of dubious competence who nevertheless occupy strategic positions….

Is the MpD, like an ostrich, burying its head in the sand due to the lack of “good enough” cadres in its own ranks? This question becomes even more pertinent when we analyze the inexplicable favoritism that allows the rise of opposing cadres, while many dedicated and capable MpD members are ignored, demotivated or marginalized. It is a choice that seems to defy logic and betray the party’s own principles. Worse, this stance reinforces the perception of a party that prioritizes personal loyalties or political convenience over merit and competence.

4. The Marginalization of the Bases and the Founders

Finally, the concept of marginalization of the base emerges as the common thread that unites the various dimensions of the problem. The founders of the MpD, once visionaries who built the party, are now relegated to the periphery, like aging tigers whose roar has lost relevance. The leadership, in turn, seems distant, governing from an ivory tower disconnected from the needs and aspirations of the base that gave rise to it.

When we look at the relationship between the leadership and the party’s grassroots and founders, I see a worrying disconnect. The founders of the MpD, who once paved the way for democracy in Cape Verde, are now relegated to ostracism. This marginalization, combined with the distancing from the grassroots, paints a picture of a dangerous disconnect between the leaders and the pillars of the party.

5. The Zoocratic Matrix of the MpD

To symbolically portray the current state of the MpD, I propose a zoocratic matrix that illustrates its contradictions and challenges:

Traitors: Hyena > opportunists who feed on the defeats of others to sustain personal ambitions.

Betrayed: Tamed Lion > Majestic, but without the political strength to lead effectively.

Incompatibilities: Chameleon >They adapt to circumstances, but lose their identity in the process.

Marginalized Bases: Aging Tiger > Once a vital force, now relegated to irrelevance.

Disconnected Leadership: Eagle in an ivory tower > Broad vision, but unable to act on the ground where the battle is taking place.

Conclusion: Between Renewal and the Abyss

The MpD is going through a crucial moment of reflection. Either it finds its way back to cohesion and internal development, or it will become hostage to its contradictions and divisions. As a columnist and someone with political responsibilities in the party, I insist that it is urgently necessary to reconnect the leadership with the grassroots, to restore the leading role of the founders and, above all, to courageously face the contradictions that threaten to corrode the core of the party.

The question, then, is clear: will the MpD have the strength to admit its mistakes and chart a new course, or will it succumb, as so often happens, to the fatality of inertia?