A matter of collective aspiration: 'Feya Feya' elections in 2013

Some things are universal to humanity and some aspirations tend to take primacy above the various markers of difference that divide, ghettoize, detach and stratify us. Zimbabweans are no different.

As each successive day inexorably draws closer to the polls - which President Mugabe has unilaterally decreed should be held on 31 July 2013 - the utmost preoccupation of Zimbabweans across the board, is for peace to prevail before, during and after the elections.

Since 15 May 2013, The Herald has published 3 stories that made reference to a campaign 'codenamed Feya Feya' that the Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition was supposedly organizing in a bid to help actualize the fervent desire of Zimbabweans for peaceful political processes to be undertaken particularly the holding of free and fair elections.

Following The Herald's magnanimous gesture of helping get word out about our Feya Feya campaign initiative (notwithstanding the inaccuracies and blatant lies contained in all three reports) - we undertook to establish the national mood with regards the kind of electoral environment Zimbabweans aspired for.

In a survey that we carried out over a period of 15 days (from 15-30 May 2013); we asked the Zimbabwean public to articulate whether or not we need free and fair elections in Zimbabwe and this week we will reveal the findings of that survey as we officially launch the Feya Feya campaign.

Whilst The Herald may sought to slander and frustrate the ideals of the Feya Feya campaign for free and fair elections – we believe that the paper's reportage is at odds with the prevailing national mood and the desires of the electorate who – regardless of political affiliation, race, age, sex, tribe, religion or any other marker of difference – share a collective aspiration for peace.

But what we believe is immaterial and what The Herald editorial team chooses to report is inconsequential when weighed against the collective aspirations of the Zimbabweans who took our survey and expressed their desire for peaceful, free and fair elections.

We will not presume to speak for them but rather, we choose to reveal the survey findings to share the views of Zimbabweans and let them speak for themselves.

We would even go so far as to challenge The Herald to carry out a survey of its own and tell us if they can come across any Zimbabweans who do not want free elections or who do not want a fair outcome in which peace prevails throughout the electoral process.

In a survey comprising 5 questions, the first question we asked was as follows:



What type of elections?

In this survey, more than 94% of the respondents indicated that they desired Feya Feya elections - a free and fair electoral process leading to a free and fair outcome in which the will of the Zimbabwean people is respected.

The responses to the four subsequent questions in the survey will be presented and unpacked on Thursday 27 June 2013 at a Feya Feya Pre-election conference to be held in Bulawayo.

We invite all peace loving Zimbabweans to join for the public march we have organized on Friday 28 June to launch the Feya Feya campaign for free and fair elections starting from TM Hyper at 8:30am to the Large City Hall.

Zimbabweans demand no more than free and fair elections and they deserve no less. Feya Feya - just free and fair!

Feya Feya Information Department
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