Insanity is accepting Zanu PF will 'not reform itself', will rig elections and then expect it to lose

One of the problems in Zimbabwe today is people who are peddling nonsense as wisdom, here is one example.

Prominent businessman Shingi Munyeza accepts that Zanu PF has been rigging elections and hence the need for reforms to even the political playing field.

He pointed out that Zanu PF was not going to implement any reforms that will lead to it losing power.

"Many are looking forward to an evening of the playing field by those in power; this is wishful think. There is never anyone in power who would be silly enough to transform themselves out of power," he said and rightly so too. If this, he shoots off at a complete tangent!

"All I can say is that the 2018 elections will be more significant than 2008. They will usher in a new era in our political history as well as our destiny as a nation. It would be irresponsible for a Zimbabwean of a voting age not to register and participate in this crucial destiny-changing moment," he argued.

Zanu PF blatantly rigged the 2013 elections and with still not even one democratic reform implemented since then it is clear the regime will do the same again. It was not the first time that President Mugabe had rigged the elections; anyone familiar with Zimbabwe politics will tell you the tyrant rigged the 1980 elections and has rigged all the other elections that have followed.

"Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results," said Albert Einstein, the great Physicist.

Shingi Munyeza may be a very successful businessman – the owner of the upmarket Ocean Basket and News Café restaurants franchises in Zimbabwe – but when it comes to politics; he is clearly mentally insane!

One can understand why opposition politicians like Morgan Tsvangirai, Tendai Biti and the whole army of others who are already feverishly preparing to contest in next year elections; they are all fighting over the few seats Zanu PF has been dishing out as bait to the opposition. Opposition MDC-N candidate in the 2013 elections, then Senator David Coltart explained the opposition candidates' motive very bluntly in his book.

"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," explained Senator Coltart.

"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."

All the MDC factions has since the rigged elections agreed with Senator Coltart that boycotting the flawed elections made sense. They all resolved not to contest in any future elections until the reforms to stop vote rigging are implemented.

In other words, the opposition candidates are participating in the flawed elections because they, unlike the insane Munyeza, are under any illusions winning the election; they are contesting to win the few seats Zanu PF gives away to the opposition as bait and for the bragging rights of being the country's biggest opposition party. Tsvangirai and his friends needs to convince the naïve and insane Zimbabwe public that they can still win the flawed elections and thus deliver the "crucial destiny-changing moment" put that is only a class act.  

What people like Munyeza have complete failed to comprehend is the fact that the ordinary person has everything to lose and nothing to gain from all this political charade and madness. Just as the opposition renders a measure of democratic legitimacy to the flawed process by participating the public also gives the opposition a measure of legitimacy as genuine opposition parties with a public following by attending opposition rallies and meetings.

The Zimbabwe electorate must withdraw their public support to all opposition parties that continue to contest in these flawed elections. The electorate must demand that the opposition honour their "No reform, no election!" resolution!

It is true that Zanu PF will never implement democratic reforms without being forced to do so just as it is true that, given the freedom to rig elections, Zanu PF will never lose the said elections. People must stop listening to the irrational nonsense of those who accept the rational of the first proposition but will not accept the rational of the second.  

After 37 years of being denied their basic freedoms and human rights including the right to free, fair and credible elections; it is high time the people put their foot down and demand that the next elections must be free and fair.