The President of Zimbabwe Centre for Equal opportunities “ZCEO” a Civic Society Organisation and MDCA National Executive Council Member Mr Paddington Japa Japa has called on Zimbabwe,s main Opposition Political Party, Movement for Democratic Change Alliance to learn some few lessons from Zambia,s Hakainde Hichilema UPND United Party for National Development Victory.
Hakainde’s (UPND) won the Zambian Election with a resounding 2,810 757 votes, against Lungu (PF) Patriotic Front’s 1,814 201 Votes. The just ended Zambian election has taught us as MDCA and other African countries a good lesson on how to win hotly contested elections peacefully and professionally.
Zambia has shown the World and other African States that elections can be held in a Free, Fair, Democratic environment, without resorting to, Violence, Intimidation, Rigging, Vote buying and unnecessarily Clinging on to Power after losing.
The Southern African Country has become the Beacon of Democracy in the entire African Continent, second from South Africa, in terms of respecting the rule of law and upholding Constitutional rights.
Notorious for their worst human rights record in the whole world, and on number one is Zimbabwe, which was ruled for 37 years by the late Dictator Robert Gabriel Mugabe.
The Country is still under another Oppressive Dictator, Mugabe’s Predecessor Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa.
The two notorious Zanu Pf rulers are known for using Oppressive methods to remain in Power.They have formed a Dynasty that has ruled the Country for 41 uninterrupted years, their evil Party intends to be in power forever.
From 1963 up to the Present day, Zanu Pf has been in Politics for 57 years.
The first 16 years of a Protracted Armed Struggle for freedom from 90 year colonial rule and 41 years of self rule. The reason why Zanu Pf Party has been in Power for 41 years since Independence up to date, its not because the People of Zimbabwe likes them so much, no, not at all, it is due to the wicked ways the Party has learnt how to survive.
The regime has mastered the art of rigging elections using oppressive methods, to condition Society so as to become hopeless.
They instill fear into the hearts of individuals which causes a sense of hopelessness.
Millions of Zimbabweans have become hopeless as they see no prospects of any Political change in the Country.
Zimbabwe has always been an Outpost of Tyranny and Dictatorship since attainment of independence, to the extend that even international organisations like UN,EU,AU and SADC have failed to intervene so as to set up Democratic institutions and systems that allow for holding of free, and fair elections.
In 2008 we had one of the worst violent election ever since attainment of independence.
More than 300 Opposition MDC Members were abducted and killed cold blooded style, under Mugabe’s rulership.
Mnangagwa was part and parcel of the system.
Mugabe won the controversial 2008 election in a one Man rerun race, which lead to the formation of a SADC brokered power sharing Government in 2009.
In 2013 the General election was rigged again by the same evil system that Controls ZEC,the Country,s election Management Commission.
ZEC is manned by members of the dreaded CIO and MID who want to make sure that there can never be an Opposition Government in Zimbabwe.
The Chief Elections Officer Utoile Silaigwana is a retired Major from the ZNA, and most of the Staff members at ZEC are from the CIO. It is impossible for ZEC to do a professional job during any election because the institution is under the strong control of Zanu Pf, and heavily militarised.
Zimbabwe’s Democracy also faces the threat of the War Council body called JOC, Joint Operations Command. JOC is made up of 145 highly trained Security Personnel from the Army, Police, CIO, AirForce, Prison Correctional Services and the Presidium. Those War Council Members from the Security Sector always determine the Election outcome and the destiny of this Country. Zimbabwe is under Military rule owned by Zanu Pf and backed their vanguard the Veterans who fought the War of Liberation.
These War Veterans are earning Peanuts in Pensions earning $16 000 Zimbabwean Bond notes each per month, which is equivalent to USD$160.Why the Veterans of the war of liberation continue to support such an evil system like Zanu Pf, which does not care about their welfare, nobody knows.
Those in higher echelons of Power at Zanu Pf are enjoying life, living luxurious life styles, yet the War Veterans are wallowing in abject Poverty.
The 15 August 2021 Zambian election has taught us some good lessons as Zimbabweans. We have learnt that there is need to mobilize millions of youths to register to vote. The youths constitute 60 % of the Country’s Population, hence they have a big say in any electoral outcome.
Hichilema managed to convince and mobilize millions of youths in his country to register to vote and it worked in his favor. The Zambian Opposition leader had sufficient resources to meet the electoral needs for his Party which made it easy for him to win. Election agents and observers were properly catered for MDCA in Zimbabwe must look for sufficient resources to win future elections.
The Zambian youths ferociously defended their election Victory after voting, they stayed outside the Polling Centres until completion of the counting and announcement of the results. In Zimbabwe the voter goes straight home to rest, Gochie Gochie or sleep immediately after casting their vote leaving the vote unprotected. A Vote needs to be guarded and defended jealousy. The difference between Zambia and all other African Countries when it comes to Governance and Democratic systems is that, Zambian leaders respect their Constitution, yet in countries like Zimbabwe and Uganda the Constitution only exists on paper practically it is not respected.
Failure to respect our Constitution started when RG Mugabe was still in power. The same habit has been perpetuated by ED Mnangagwa and the Military Junta. The best way to deal with the Militarized Zimbabwean State System is by inviting United Nations, EU, AU and SADC Monitors, not observers only during Elections. SADC has proved to be a dishonest institution, they cannot be relied upon or trusted when Countries go for elections in Africa. The organization is biased towards former liberation war Movements, and sitting Governments.AU has proved to be much better when in observing and assessment of Elections in Member States.
Even the United Nations, EU and US must learn from the Zambian Electoral and Constitutional System that is Democratic, transparent, free and fair. The Zambian Army, Police and Intelligence Services do not get involved in helping rigging or manipulation of election results, like what happens in Zimbabwe. Zanu Pf Regime must be ashamed for not respecting People’s Constitutional rights in Zimbabwe, the fact that the Party is composed of former liberation War Veterans who are the Party’s vanguard, that must not give the wicked and evil Party a tittle deeds to own the People of this Country. We want to congratulate the People of Zambia, Army, Police and intelligence Services for upholding their Constitution and respecting the rule of Law.
In Malawi it was not a smooth transfer of power as the election was beset with violence and rigging, had it not been for the resilience and bravery of the Malawian Citizens, the ruling Party’s intension was a massive rigging. African Leaders who most of them are dictators must learn to respect their countries Constitutions, which is the Supreme law of any Country. President Mnangagwa and his Spokesman George Charamba were heard openly declaring that Zanu Pf shall not relinquish Power even if the Party faces election defeat in 2023.It is a Shame on you President Mnangagwa and your Spokesman to be recorded and quoted uttering such reckless statements that promotes violence.
The time is coming when GOD Almighty shall say shut up and go, Zanu Pf you have caused too much suffering and looting of Zimbabwean economic resources through your corrupt activities and bad Governance. Good Lessons must be learnt from the Zambian electoral laws and Systems of Governance.
THE AUTHOR OF THIS ARTICLE PADDINGTON JAPA JAPA IS THE PRESIDENT OF A CIVIC SOCIETY ORGANISATION CALLED ZIMBABWE CENTRE FOR EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES (ZCEO),AN MDCA NEC/MEMBER,SOCCER ADMINSTRATOR,EVANGELIST AND TEACHER OF GOD’S WORD,HOLDER OF A BSC HONOURS PSYCHOLOGY DEGREE!!!!?????????????