By Nomusa Garikai- The sheer naivety of Zimbabwe’s opposition is certainly one of the top-five main reasons why the country is stuck is this economic mess and political paralysis – as both the ruling party and the opposition are clearly clueless how to get the nation out of the mess.

“This (the election of Hatiendi Hichilema in Zambia) encourages us to go and register to vote. It educates that the military, central Intelligence organisation officers and Police must know that they are employed by Zimbabweans not a political party,” said Felix Magalela Mafa Sibanda, MDC Alliance deputy spokesperson.

“In short that means institutions of government must be professional knowing that they work for the nation not a political organisation, because political ruler-ship may end.”

So, MDC A leaders acknowledge Zimbabwe’s institutions of government including the Army, Police, Judiciary and ZEC have NOT been professional. This would be seen as significant progress on the part of Nelson Chamisa and company, if only the leaders would remember and, better still, act on the realities.

Nelson Chamisa and his MDC friends certainly forgot, if they had ever acknowledged it, that Zimbabwe’s state institutions were not professional throughout the five years of the 2008 to 2013 GNU. How else other than forgetfulness can only explain why MDC leaders failed to implement even one reform to break the strangle hold Zanu PF has on all state institutions.

Of course, acknowledging that the Army, Police, etc. are not profession was one thing; knowing what must be done about it in another. It is disheartening to note that Mr Nelson Chamisa and his team are convinced what has happened in Zambia is enough to “educate” our Army, Police, ZEC, etc. that they are employed by the people and not Zanu PF! How naïve and gullible these MDC leaders are!

Thanks to MDC A’s naivety, Zanu PF is going ahead with its plans to blatantly rig the 2023 elections, confident the opposition will participate and thus give the vote rigging Zanu PF legitimacy.

“Chiefs in Zimbabwe have recently allegedly been trained as Zanu PF commissars at the Herbert Chitepo School of Ideology to mobilise votes for the ruling party ahead of the 2023 elections, it has emerged,” reported Bulawayo 24 in one article.

So Zanu PF is going full steam ahead with one of the party’s flagship vote rigging plans – making sure rural areas remain Zanu PF stronghold where the rural voters have been reduced by these partisan Chiefs, other traditional leaders and Zanu PF operatives into medieval serfs beholden to the overbearing Landlords.

The rural voters have only once, in March 2008, dared to vote for the opposition. They were promptly punished in June 2008 run-off when Zanu PF launch a military the Operation “Mavhotera papi!” (Whom did you vote for!) The wanton violence that followed was one of the worst election violence the nation has ever seen, and Zanu PF operatives have threatened the violence will return if the people dared to reject Zanu PF ever again. 

“Mwonzora’s party was on Friday given $59 940 000 by the government while Zanu-PF got a whopping $140 million, igniting fresh debate about the MDC-T and MDC Alliance battle over the control of funds meant for parties with a sizeable representation in Parliament,” reported Bulawayo 24 in the next article.

The $60m above is MDC -T’s share of the annual Political Party Finance Act pay out; part and parcel of the Zanu PF bribe to entice the opposition to participate in the elections regardless how flawed and illegal the process gets. Mwonzora and his lot will certainly participate in the 2023 elections, the payment has whetted their appetited and are hungry for more. Chamisa and his lot are licking their dry lips with envy and will be desperate to win back some of the bait on offer.

It is the rock-solid guarantee that the opposition will participate in the elections no matter how flawed and illegal the process got that gives Zanu PF the confidence to ignore calls to implement reforms and blatantly rig the elections.

“Events in Zambia have taught Army they are employed by the people and not Zanu PF!” I cannot make up my mind whether MDC leaders are really that corrupt, incompetent and naïve or they are just conning the ignorant and desperate povo into believing this nonsense so they can get their reward from Zanu PF for getting the people to participate in the flawed elections and give Zanu PF legitimacy.