By Wilbert Mukori | Zimbabwe is a failed state and the country’s failure to provide basic services such as clean water, in this day and age, is symptomatic of a failed state.
“Half of the boreholes in Harare’s western and northern districts are contaminated with human waste and could be potentially unsafe sources of drinking water,” reported the state media.
“Water samples from boreholes in these areas, heavily relied upon by residents due to erratic municipal water supply, showed traces of sewer and E. coli bacteria, capable of causing water-borne diseases like typhoid and cholera.
“The discovery comes at a time when Harare was grappling with a raging cholera outbreak directly linked to water shortages.
“Harare City Council is presently supplying around 300 megalitres of potable water a day to the city against a demand of 1 200 megalitres.”
By failing to hold free and fair elections in August 2023 Zimbabwe confirmed the country was a pariah state, a failed state incapable of self governing. One of the many signs of a failed state is economic collapse and failure to provide basic needs such as clean water and sewage services.
Zimbabwe has not become a failed state with collapse basic service overnight, the last five or ten years; we have been down this disastrous path ever since the country gained her independence in 1980. Zimbabwe has failed to hold free and fair elections these last 44 years and thus depriving ourselves the benefit of good governance.
For free, fair and credible elections are more than just a basic human right, they are are the essence of good governance. Zanu PF has blatantly rigged elections starting with the 1980 elections and 43 years of this corrupt, incompetent and tyrannical Zanu PF misrule has left the country in economic ruin and political paralysis.
The country’s de facto one-party dictatorship has stifled debate and all meaningful democratic discourse driving out all quality men and women out of politics. And hence the reason there are no quality leaders in the ruling party, Zanu PF, nor in the multitude of opposition parties, 130 of them at the last count.
Zanu PF thugs wanted absolute power and they did not hesitate to betray the “One man, one vote!” promise. It took the nation nearly 20 years for the penny to drop, for the people to realise Zanu PF would never hold free, fair and credible elections and give them a meaningful say in the governance of the country.
So if the nation was to end Zanu PF misrule, the nation must implement the democratic reforms necessary to stop Zanu PF rigging elections. And so the people have risk all, the anger of Zanu PF determined to retain absolute power at all costs, to elect opposition leaders whose primary task was to implement the democratic reforms.
Zanu PF rigged the 2023 elections because MDC/CCC leaders have failed to implement even one token democratic reform in 23 years, including 5 in the GNU. The rigging was so blatant that even AU and SADC, the continental and regional elections observers, known for endorsing dodgy elections in the past, were compelled to condemn the 23 August elections as a flawed and illegal.
The condemnation did not stop Zimbabwe’s corrupt and incompetent opposition, who had participated knowing fully well the process was flawed and that participating would give Zanu PF legitimacy, taking up their share of the gravy train seats and thus force SADC and AU to once again allow Zanu PF to get away with rigged elections.
The nation is not only stuck with this Zanu PF dictatorship for another five years; worst of all, struck with the near certainty of Zanu PF rigging the 2028 elections and thus extending the regime’s rule yet another five more years. There is no end to this!
This is a nightmare which we should have been resolved by 2013, at the latest, in MDC leaders heaved implemented the democratic reforms when they had the golden opportunity to so so during the 2008 to 2013 GNU. There is nothing to make me believe Nelson Chamisa and his CCC friends are going to implement any reforms to ensure 2028 elections are finally free and fair; if they failed to do so during the GNU when they had the trump cards, it is naive to believe they will do so now when Zanu PF hold all the trump cards.
The fight for reforms and stopping Zanu PF rigging the 2028 elections starts with the national realisation that MDC/CCC leaders had the golden opportunity to implement the democratic reforms these last 23 years, especially during the GNU. They have failed to implement even one token reform because they are corrupt and incompetent.
Like it or not, MDC/CCC leaders will never implement the reforms and deliver free, fair and credible elections. We need competent opposition leaders who will implement the reforms or we are stuck with the Zanu PF dictatorship, the failed state and all that entails!
Why did it take Zimbabweans 20 years to risk all and demand democratic changes designed to stop Zanu PF thugs rigging elections? Why has it taken 23 years and counting for the people to realise MDC/CCC leaders are corrupt and incompetent, they will never ever implement any reform?
The ordinary people did not appreciate the importance of “One man, one vote!” in the 1980s no more than they appreciate the importance of democratic reforms now as a basis for good governance. The demand for “Democratic change!” has fallen into everyday usage although many Zimbabweans out there cannot even name one democratic change!
Indeed, the CCC members are now given to calling Nelson Chamisa “Change Champion in Chief!” Change Champion indeed, when MDC/CCC cannot name even one token democratic change they brought in 23 years!
If the povo do not understand what the reforms are about, it is no surprise they have no clue the primary purpose of the GNU was to implement reforms much less that MDC/CCC sold out by failing to implement even one reform. It is little wonder that even after 23 years, including 5 in the GNU, most Zimbabweans still continue to trust CCC leaders to deliver reforms and end the Zanu PF dictatorship.
Zimbabwe is a failed state because we are stuck with the vote rigging Zanu PF thugs, in the first instance. However we would have got rid of the Zanu PF thugs by now if MDC/CCC leaders had not sold out and implemented the reforms. We are still stuck with Zanu PF these last 23 years but only because the people themselves have been slow to realise MDC/CCC leaders are corrupt, incompetent and utterly useless.
So ultimately, Zimbabwe is a failed state because we have an ignorant and naive electorate, so ignorant they do not realise the critical importance of implementing reforms and holding free, fair and credible elections as the prerequisite to good governance.
The ancient Greeks were right, all those 2 500 years ago, when they say democracy – government of the people, by the people and for the people – only works if the people are educated and diligent to hold those in public office to account. Zimbabwe is a failed state because we have one of the most ignorant and naive electorate in human history!
Zanu PF blatantly rigged the August 2023 elections, thanks to CCC leaders selling out on reforms. If we do not do something to get the reforms finally implemented, Zanu PF will blatantly rig the 2028 elections too. And Zimbabwe will remain a failed state unable to provide even the most basic services such as clean water, sewage, education, etc. This is a nightmare of our own making and, per se, one we can end if we should decide to do so.