'For free elections, army must stop meddling in politics,' says ISS - too late, up to its eyes already

In an interview with News24, Senior researcher at Institute for Security Studies (ISS), Derek Matyszak said that there was need for the Zimbabwean military to stay clear of politics if the country was to hold a credible election.

"It is important that the military publicly announces its pledge to stay clear of politics regardless of the election results. They have often been meddling in politics in the past and have just recently done that when they stepped in last year," said Matyszak.

The demand makes perfect sense but given that the Army has deployed over 5 000 soldiers already and they have been campaigning for Zanu PF for months already, this will be an empty and meaningless gesture.

President Mnangagwa was reminded of the need to implement the democratic reforms agreed at the onset of the GNU and he has dismissed the call with the hallmark Zanu PF arrogance.

"Zanu PF ichatonga! Igotonga! Imi muchigohukura! Nokuhukura!" (Zanu PF will rule! And Rule! Whilst you (calling for reforms) bark! And bark!) He has said countless time before the November coup and has repeated the same since the coup.

There are those who want to believe that President Mnangagwa and his junta have changed so much so they can be trusted to keep their promise to hold free, fair and credible and disregard the mountain of evidence that the regime is rigging these elections.

"The military's involvement in politics is a worrisome issue because they have been meddling with the country's politics for the past decades. In 2008 they made it clear that they were not going to back any leader without any liberation credentials. And they have also made it clear in the past seven months that they are the final arbiters in the country's politics. So, their announcement to stay clear of the election will be important," said Matyszak.

Even if the army was to make such an announcement, these elections will not be free, fair and credible because Zanu PF has 1001 other vote rigging shenanigans including war veterans and Chiefs who have been working alongside the 5 000 soldiers in reminding the people they will be punished if Zanu PF was to lose these elections.

President Mnangagwa and his junta are not going to keep their promise to hold free and fair elections and we must be clear and unambiguous as to the consequence of their failure – the regime will be asked to step aside to allow the appointment of an interim administration that will implement the reforms and hold free, fair and credible elections.

Zimbabwe is in this economic and political mess because the nation has been stuck these last 38 years with a corrupt, incompetent and tyrannical regime that routinely rigged elections to stay in power in contemptuous disregard of the people's democratic wishes. Worse still, the country will never ever get out of this mess until it implements the reforms and put an end to this meaningless charade of rigged elections.

It is high time the nation looked President Mnangagwa and his junta thugs in the eyes and told them, "Zimbabwe is going to implement the reforms and clear the path for holding free, fair and credible elections. If you cannot do this, then the nation will find others who can!"