By Nomusa Garikai- The people of Zimbabwe have risked life and limb to elect Zanu PF’s political opponents on the understanding, once in power, they would implement the democratic reforms the nation was dying for.
Morgan Tsvangirai and his MDC friends have had many golden opportunities to implement the reforms, with the best chances coming during the 2008 to 2013 GNU. Sadly, Tsvangirai et al took their eyes off the ball and they wasted all the opportunities. They have failed to implement even one reform!
Mugabe bribed the MDC leaders with the trappings of high office; the ministerial limos, the generous salaries, a US$4 million mansion for Tsvangirai himself, etc. And to show their appreciation, MDC leaders forgot about the reforms!
“Mazivznhu eMDC adzidza kudya anyerere!” (MDC leaders have learned to enjoy the gravy train good-life. They will never rock the boat now!) boasted Mugabe’s cronies during the GNU, when asked why MDC leaders were not implementing any reforms.
After the GNU, MDC leaders have abandoned all hope of implementing any reforms and have since settled for a few gravy-train seats Zanu PF gives away as bait.
The scramble for the bait seats has brought out the nation’s scum, the 2018 elections were a hotly contested affair with 23 candidates contesting for the presidency alone. They all knew with no reforms Zanu PF would win 2/3 majority in parliament plus the presidency; they were fighting over the remaining 1/3 or so MP seats and the coveted title of opposition party leader.
Of course, all of the opposition leaders contesting these flawed and illegitimate elections knew their participation gave credibility to the rigged elections and, thus some modicum of legitimacy to the resultant Zanu PF government. They were doing it out of greed, as David Coltart, a MDC leader and minister in the GNU, readily admitted in his book. The Struggle Continues 50 years of tyranny in Zimbabwe.
“The worst aspect for me about the failure to agree a coalition was that both MDCs couldn’t now do the obvious – withdraw from the elections,” wrote Senator Coltart.
“The electoral process was so flawed, so illegal, that the only logical step was to withdraw, which would compel SADC to hold Zanu PF to account. But such was the distrust between the MDC-T and MDC-N that neither could withdraw for fear that the other would remain in the elections, winning seats and giving the process credibility.”
The “obvious” thing for the opposition to have done in 2013, 2018 and ever more so in 2023 is not participate in the elections without reforms designed to stop the curse of rigged elections. The country’s opposition is but scum, they participated in the elections then and they are already out campaigning for the 2023 elections!
“Good leaders are not seen by the size of their promises, but by what they have done to date. Conmen thrive on sweet promises, convincing you they can move mountains for you when they can’t lift a pebble for themselves. We stand by that assertion, track records matter more than promises,” Dr Nkosana Moyo, leader of Alliance for People’s Agenda. He was one of the 23 presidential candidates in the rigged July 2018 plebiscite.
“Elections came. The people chose. Did the people choose on merit or emotions? Did the people choose on track record or future promises? In Bulawayo one leader was not elected by the voters, but leadership is in him. He continues to innovate and find solutions to community problems.”
How can people “choose on merit” if elections are not free, fair and credible?
The country is stuck with this corrupt, incompetent and tyrannical Zanu PF dictatorship for 40 years and counting because the thugs rig elections. How can asking the nation to participate in these flawed and illegal elections for the umpteenth time be an “innovative solution” to ending the rat race?
“Hupenzi inyama yegakava!” (There is no one more stubborn than a fool!) so goes a Shona adage.
Dr Nkosana Moyo greed has closed your eyes, ears and mind to reason, reality and truth. You are just a first-class village idiot, no different from Mugabe, Mnangagwa, Tsvangirai, Chamisa and all the others whose greed landed us in this hell-on-earth and is keeping us there.
Zimbabwe’s number one priority is to make sure we implement the reforms necessary for free, fair and credible elections. It would be irresponsible to let the nation be stampeded into yet another rigged election by those blinded by greed!