The dilemma of the electorate in Zimbabwe's 2018 polls

The Zimbabwean electorate have a real dilemma in the coming elections. There are a lot of candidates from a plethora of political parties as well as independent candidates to choose from. It can be argued though that the real battle for Statehouse and Parliament is between Emerson Mnangagwa and Nelson Chamisa, Zanu-PF and the MDC alliance. For a long time, indeed since the formation of the MDC (original), the main issue was the removal of Robert G Mugabe. Several attempts by the opposition to remove Mugabe had failed until ZANUpf decided to see him gone which was done through the military taking a major role indeed a definitive role. The forced resignation of former president R G Mugabe presented a very big change on the Zimbabwean political landscape.

The voters are having to consider whether that change is significant enough to give relief from the oppression and economic hardships of the Mugabe era. The voters will be trying to decide whether the country can absorb another big change just eight months after the fall of strong man Mugabe. The voters still remember that the military said it was their constitutional duty to defend the constitution and sovereignty of Zimbabwe justifying pressure on Mugabe to resign. Will the military accept the defeat of ZANU pf without viewing it as the victory of the former colonisers with the face of the MDC as the opposition party has since its inception been regarded. The voters will be thinking about the consequences of a ZANU pf defeat. Is it feasible that the military with its srong association with ZANU pf would have removed Mugabe to hand over power to MDC – Chamisa? Such will be the questions running in the voters' minds.

In the alternative, voters will be considering the positives and negatives of an MDC alliance victory.

The big question will be determining what capacity Chamisa and the MDC alliance have to keep the country stable politically, socially and economically. Of late and especially after his interview on BBC's hardtalk program, Nelson Chamisa has come to the spotlight. His integrity, credibility , genuineness and maturity have been subject of all media debate. He has come under fire for openly telling lies. Questions are being asked if he can be relied upon.  Will his lies stop when he is President? His ascendancy to the leadership of his party has raised a lot of doubt about his commitment to constitutionalism and the rule of law. Voters will be concerned about the security/assurance of their constitutional rights in his hands. If he could risk a split in his party than follow a simple constitutional process to get power, could he be trusted with the national constitution? That he is an eloquent speaker is probably not in doubt but parallels are being drawn with former President Robert Mugabe who also is an eloquent speaker and who frequently flouted the constitution to suit himsef.

Voters will be concerned whether they could be repeating the mistake of 1980 when a young and seemingly intelligent Robert Mugabe was elected on the back of popularity only to ruin the country over almost four decades. Nelson Chamisa has the potential of being in office for the next 40 years despite the current constitutional term limitations. He has already shown disregard of the constitution when it comes to power grabbing (or retention). Since he is not very trusted with saying the truth, how can the voters trust his pledge to constitutionalism even if he were to so pledge.

Nelson Chamisa is said to command a gang of MDC youth thugs who he uses to violently deal with his opponents in the party. Questions would be how much he could be trusted with the state machinery of potential violence.

The resignations of Obert Gutu, Lovemore Moyo and Jessie Majome in protest for non-adherence to constitutionalism and the rule of law would be concerns voters will have. As a lawyer, it will be very difficult to excuse Nelson Chamisa for not upholding the rule of law and constitutionalism in a transparent way.

These to me are some of the fundamental considerations voters will have to make in the coming elections. Some people on social media have said that it is not fair to criticize Nelson Chamisa when Emerson Mnangagwa is no better. I would argue that indeed we expect Chamisa to demonstrate that he is a lot better otherwise there would be no point in seeking change that would be no change. In fact if there was no difference between the two men, the difference would be that in the one we have the potential of enduring the next 40 years with and the other the next 5 years with.

When all is debated and considered, I hope the outcome from the elections will result in the restoration of the dignity and prosperity of the people of Zimbabwe in a stable Zimbabwe. The debates and discussion in all media are a good welcome sign of our growing and maturing democracy. May Zimbabwe be ever the beneficiary.