By Brett Holley| A very important election coming up. Your vote is probably the most potent weapon you as a citizen have at this time. There are a few ways to play that vote.

First and foremost, we have numerous candidates at various levels who are contesting. Personally as you all know, I am favouring change. However I would prefer REAL change, not just a change of people, and keeping the same system.

You see, paBhora kana muchitamba 4-4-2, and you change the entre team and still munongotamba 4-4-2, pane zvachinja here?

We have had 2 of the biggest parties involved in a GNU Government. These parties have held various portfolios in Government, council, Parastatals etc etc and most have performed dismally. They have a clear cut track record: of failure. These people lived luxury lives and yet we have alarming levels of poverty.

So why don’t we vote for change? REAL change? There are 3 choices to make: Councillor, MP, President.

Personally I would say a vote for APA, BZA, ZIPP, POVO and the many independent MPs and Councillors. Why do I say this? The official opposition has been voted for as Councillors and MPs since 2000, in Parliament and Council they are ineffective simply because of 2 things;

1-      They are hamstrung by the fact the local government and ministers are controlled by Zanu and they have no power to do anything anyway.

2-      The little that they could do, is not done because they are either incompetent or corrupt or a combination of both.

So if we know that this is what we are going to get yet again, why not try someone new? Imagine a parliament or council with a majority of Independent members? What do we have to lose really by voting for another MP or councillor other than Zanu or MDCT? NOTHING, because nothing has been happening anyway!!!!

Even those who say our best hope to remove zanu is to rally behind the most popular candidate.  2 THINGS about that. Mugabe was popular, so was Hitler and Stalin. 2ndly is an observation I have made. I have come into contact with so many people who admit that cadre Nkosana and cadre Manyika and a few others are better qualified and suited to lead Zimbabwe but don’t have numbers. Well imagine if we all followed our gut feelings and voted for those 2, either of them doesn’t matter, as long as its REAL change. They probably actually already do have the numbers, its just that we are stuck in our old way of thinking.

Personally I don’t see a military takeover losing an election. And even if they lost, I don’t see them leaving office. So what we are voting for, is the official opposition. If we are lucky, the opposition may be invited into a GNU as the best possible outcome.

So, wouldn’t it be great to have the likes of cadre Moyo, Manyika, Blessing, etc etc as part of the GNU or official opposition. Imagine if we all went to vote for APA, BZA, ZIPP, POVO and we had a re-run and one or more of them featured? Imagine these leaders were mature enough to form a coalition among themselves and decide to combine forces in that re-run? Imagine that coalition actually wins? This is what can happen if we all follow our gut feelings.

Politics has changed in Zimbabwe. We have options. We have decent, morally upright and qualified options. We have matured, we have the ability to chart a new course. No matter who wins, our political landscape will never be the same again. A solid foundation has been laid.

If you support REAL change, speak up. Let your voice be heard.

You cannot do the same thing over and over again and expect a different result. That is called madness.

Lastly cadres, this is an election. Life will go on afterwards. It is not worth a life, or killing or hurting others. Remember, once everything is done and dusted, vachanywa Tea vese. Be safe and think about the Zimbabwe you would like to leave for your kids and grankids.