Voting for APA is 'common-sense decision', says Dr Moyo - not that he has any himself

Once upon a time, I admired Dr Nkosama Moyo and considered him a man with a wisdom and a vision. Now I have got to know him better, to say I am disappointed is an understatement. He has turned out to be one of those very clever with words but sadly there are all hollow words "fully of sound and fury signifying nothing", to borrow from William Shakespeare.  

The more Dr Moyo tries to show he is different from the current crop of corrupt, incompetent and murderous tyrants, in the case of President Mugabe and his Zanu PF thugs still in the party or now in the opposition camp masquerading as democrats; the more he is becoming one with them.

"One sign stands out though, valiantly trying to light a candle, instead of cursing the darkness: APA is resolutely bringing a new brand of politics to Zimbabwe, a brand driven by core values not convenience and expedience, a style of politics whose focus is to rebuild the country with the right team and skill sets," said Nkosana Moyo.

"It is time to pick the team that will reverse the decline, not one that will produce more of the same. It is time for common sense to prevail. A common-sense decision says, I have looked at all the candidates. I have examined what they stand for. I have looked at their words versus their actions and because I want to see my country's economy restored and my children's future guaranteed, I am choosing to go with candidate x.

"We think your X should go next to APA on the ballot paper but the decision remains yours. You owe it to yourself to make a rational decision in the best interests of your country. It is time for heart and mind to converge so that all the signs of a dying country can be replaced by signs of prosperity."

Dr Moyo has only been in the opposition camp a few weeks and yet he already thinks and talks like Morgan Tsvangirai.

"In his usual light-hearted manner, President Tsvangirai said he was more worried about the country's health, urging Zimbabweans to vote wisely next year so as to deal with the multi-layered afflictions of the country's political economy," Tsvangirai's spokesman, Luke Tamborinyoka, told the nation the other day.

So, according to Dr Moyo and Tsvangirai, Zimbabweans have been stuck with this corrupt and tyrannical Zanu PF dictatorship for all these last 37 years because the people themselves failed to make "a common sense and rational decision" and/or failed to "vote wisely"! How shocking. It is not the people to blame here but the failed leaders.

The country is in this political and economic mess because the leaders who promised freedom and liberty before independence have since become the new oppressors. Those who promised to bring democratic changes have failed to deliver even one change in two decades in frontline politics. And those promising "to light the candle and not curse darkness" do not have the common sense to accept that Zanu PF rigs elections and that there will never be any meaningful change in the country until something is done to stop vote rigging.

Instead of the opposition expending their energy, time and treasure implementing the democratic reforms they are wasting it all on hare-brain schemes to win rigged elections and then blame povo, the victims of the rigged elections, for their failures.

The one thing the people told Tsvangirai everywhere he went last year, during his nationwide tour, was the problem of Zanu PF rigging the vote; be it vote buying using food, agricultural input donations, etc. Or by wielding the large stick through voter intimidation, harassment, beating, rape and even murder. The populous are constantly reminded of the wanton violence of 2008 and that it will return if they fail to do as they are told. Tsvangirai has done absolutely nothing to end this blatant denial of the people's right to free, fair and credible elections.

Dr Moyo himself has acknowledged the country's problem of politically motivated violence. He has said, he is not going to hold any public rallies and instead confine his campaign to door to door chats for fear rallies will attract retribution from Zanu PF thugs. This is not going to end Zimbabwe's culture of political violence; he is just kicking the can down the street, at best. The solution is to implement the democratic reforms and stop messing around.

Like it or not Zanu PF is right now frogmarching people, especially in the rural areas, to register to vote, to attend ongoing Zanu PF rallies and, come voting day, to vote for the party.

The vote rigging has already started. The regime has deliberately delayed the voter registration until now, there is less than a year to the next elections; there will be no time to inspect, correct and produce a verified voters' roll. The failure to produce a verified voters' roll was one glaring and very serious vote rigging tactic in the 2013 elections and, signs are, the regime will do the same again.

SADC leaders advised Zimbabwe's morbid, corrupt and incompetent opposition politicians not to contest the July 2013 national elections with no democratic reforms in place. Their advice is even more relevant today. It is madness to keep contesting elections, knowing fully well the whole process is flawed. President Mugabe has a dice with six on all six sides, betting on him failing to throw a six is insane.

Zimbabwe is in a serious economic and political mess and we are not getting out of the mess by contesting flawed elections. Just because the country's opposition politicians are corrupt and incompetent and would not listen to the sound advice from SADC leaders does not mean we, the ordinary Zimbabweans, too should not pay heed to the advice. We must demand the implementation of the democratic reforms and refuse to be dragged into yet another futile electoral process.

The common-sense decision in Zimbabwe today is to stop contesting flawed elections and put an end to this madness of hoping to win rigged elections. All those contesting the flawed elections have no common sense. None!

Who would have thought someone like Dr Nkosana Moyo would be that stupid and join the likes of Tsvangirai, Biti, Ncube, Coltart and the rest of the morbid MDC leaders in contesting flawed elections. Dr Moyo even has chutzpah to accuse the people of lacking common sense when he is the one who has none.