'We want a President who is awake!' Linda tells Mugabe - after all that feasting, no chance

Linda Masarira petition President Mugabe to stay awake; a very tall order!

"My message and that of the rest of the population is plain and simple. We only demand good governance, we demand employment, we demand sound policies that guarantee opportunities for everyone regardless of political affiliations, we demand to be free. We desire to be able to express ourselves and not be in hospitals afterwards," wrote Linda

"Most importantly we want a President who can be awake long enough to be able to hear our grievances and address them."

Good one Linda. There really is no point of talking to someone who is fast asleep!

We are in this unenviable position of political paralysis and economic chaos because President Mugabe has perfected the art of rigging elections and then claims after the treasonous act that he has the democratic mandate to rule. He has the easily corruptible and incompetent opposition politicians in his pocket; his partners in crime.

President Mugabe bribed Tsvangirai and his MDC friends during the GNU to ensure not even one democratic reform was implemented in the five years.

The tyrant has learned that as long as he allows these sell-out opposition politicians to win a few gravy train seats they will continue to contest elections regardless of how flawed and blatant he rigs the vote. The act of their contesting the elections will, in itself, lend a measure of democratic legitimacy to the electoral process because it raises the question; if the elections are flawed then why participate!

After Zanu PF blatantly rigged the July 2013 elections, people thought that Tsvangirai and his MDC friends had finally come to their senses because they all vowed not to contest any future elections until reforms are implemented.

However, not even one reform has been implemented since July 2013 elections and yet Tsvangirai & co. are all out on the campaigning trail for the 2018 elections already! Their beady eyes are once again fixed on winning those few gravy train seats Zanu PF throws await as bait and nothing; not even the threat of Zanu PF thugs going on a killing spree, a repeat of the wanton violence of 2008; will stop them contesting the election.

Tendai Biti, the leader of the breakaway PDP, had his rural homestead burnt to the ground a few weeks ago. Many suspect this was the handwork of Zanu PF thugs. Instead of reminding Biti of the critical need to implement the democratic reforms before the elections, he is reportedly more determined to contest the elections regardless of the cheating, lawlessness, "wart and all"!

Participating in a flawed election process is not just being reckless but is downright criminal in that it is putting the safety of the public at risk and, worse still, it is giving an illegal process legitimacy and thus help perpetuate it. Senator David Coltart acknowledged this and the reason why people like Biti still went on to contest the 2013 elections.

"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," acknowledged Senator Coltart in his book, The Struggle Continues 50 years of tyranny in Zimbabwe.

"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 need for the ordinary Zimbabwean to understand the complexities of the country's political situation is now the key to bringing about real democratic change in Zimbabwe. The simplistic view of seeing President Mugabe and his Zanu PF thugs are the enemies of the people and all those in the opposition camp as the friends of povo is not helping deliver change because it is irrelevant to the reality on the ground. There are many in the opposition camp have already proven beyond all reasonable that that they are corrupt and incompetent and have already sold-out; that is the political reality we must deal with!

Linda, it is good that you have noticed that President Mugabe is fast asleep, especially after all the feasting of the last few weeks, and will never address any of your and the nation's heartfelt concerns. Now, address yourself to the ordinary Zimbabweans – they are too hungry to be asleep.

The people must know the nation's precarious position and, most important of all, their own role in it. We have the vote rigging tyrant with his forged mandate; he derives his legitimacy from the sell-out opposition politicians who continue to contest elections in pursuit of the throw away gravy train seat regardless how flawed and illegitimate the process happens to be. The sell-out opposition politicians in turn derive their political legitimacy from the ordinary people who continue to support them blind to the politicians' treasonous betrayals and deceit.

Real political change in Zimbabwe will not come from talking to the dozy Robert Mugabe, whose only concern now is that he should die in office and hopefully have his dirty secrets buried with him forever. Real change will come from the ordinary people demanding the implementation of all the democratic reforms so that the next elections are free, fair and credible.

It is high time that the ordinary people realised that it is their sacred duty as citizens to understand what is going around them and to hold those in positions of power to account. Right now, it is for the people force the tempestuous sell-out opposition opportunists to honour their "No reform, no elections!" resolution!