'ED will win elections because opposition disarray and will rig vote,' say panellists - which one matters!

"Some Zimbabweans and political observers say it is likely that President Emmerson Mnangagwa will win the forthcoming presidential election, to be held between July and August this year, as the country's opposition is in disarray though they doubt that the southern African nation will hold a free, fair and credible election," reported The Zimbabwean quoting a VOA article.

"Mnangagwa is likely to win because there is no strong opposition and there is so much confusion within the opposition parties such that Mnangagwa is the likely option for most people and is the one in power and they say that there is a lot of effort from Mnangagwa to change things. People are more receptive to that," said Linda Mujuru of Global Press Journal. She was one of the Zimbabweans panellist discussing Zimbabwe in Washington DC.  

There is clearly some very confused Zimbabweans out there. Do these people believe ED will win the elections because there is "disarray in the opposition camp" or because the elections are not going to be free, fair and credible?

Few people can deny that there is indeed disarray in the opposition but with Zanu PF refusing to implement even one reform to ensure free and fair elections only those who are mentally challenged can doubt that these elections are not free and fair.

A united opposition has not stopped Zanu PF rigging elections in the past so, why should a confused opposition matter?

The elections observers are not being asked whether Zanu PF would have won these elections anywhere given the confusion in the opposition camp? They are being asked whether the electoral process in Zimbabwe can ever deliver free, fair and credible elections? A process in which there is no free media, no verified voters' roll, key institutions like ZEC and the Police are but a department of the ruling party in all but name, etc.

Indeed, we should not be surprised there is confusing in the opposition camp just as, until the last November's military coup, there was pandemonium in Zanu PF itself; the one-party dictatorship that Mugabe and Zanu PF has fostered on the nation has forced competent leaders out of politics. Zimbabwe politics has become so dirty that only thugs can thrive.

This is why we need to implement the democratic reforms, drain the swamp to get rid of all the crocodiles and all the other swamp dwelling creepy crawlies, and allow democratic competition to take root. Open debate and democratic competition will sort the quality leaders with grey stuff between their ears from the corrupt, incompetent empty head thugs who have now filled all the public offices going.  

"There is need to have a united force and there is need to have and a need to have an organized force in the opposition and there is need to invest heavily and ensure that people are registered to vote," added another panellist, Irene Petras of International Centre for Not-for-Profit Law. Many people will know her from her days as Executive Director of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights.

There is no denying that there are not quality leaders on both sides of Zimbabwe's political divide and there will never be, as long as politics remains the exclusive domain of the corrupt, incompetent and ruthless thugs. Quantity is a poor substitute for quality; that is common sense, but clearly not so common amongst some Zimbabwean intellectuals!