Emotions should not determine Vote

Time for Zimbabweans to cast their votes in the harmonised election is fast approaching, it is imperative that, not their emotions, but the need to see Zimbabwe develop, industries opening up and prospects for a better and health life, should lead their decision.  Zimbabwean politics has been stagnant as people's growth to political maturity has been very slow.  The political discourse has been marred by so much odium and resentments.  It is time the people of Zimbabwe vote for honest, reliable, hardworking and result oriented leaders in all public offices being represented in the forthcoming elections to include, Councillors, Members of Parliament, the Senate and the Presidential Candidates.  

Empty talk was a political modus operandi of the gone by era, mere rhetoric does not count anymore.  In Ndebele they say "umlomo awudzwalelwa mfula" an old adage that translates to say, the mouth has the power to create castles in the air, it can also take one to the moon and back; and the mouth can say anything without considering the abilities of other body parts.  That time is past, and Zimbabweans have, though slowly, arrived at a place where they demand action as compared to listening to folklore.  One cannot sell concepts devoid of reality and expect voters to be gullible.  Some of the promises are meant to massage the egos of such delusional leaders and nothing else.  People of Zimbabwe be mature and refuse to be fed false unattainable promises. Put your X where credit is due.

Since 2005, Zimbabweans voted while being led by emotions, their stomachs spoke and they wanted immediate gratification. It is understandable, because they wanted change so desperately they figured it was time to try something new.   Fair and fine, everyone is entitled to make their choice in such a democracy as ours; however, what's important is that lessons are learnt from past experiences.  A mistake learnt should never be repeated, I would like to believe that people did indeed learn some harsh lessons on the issue of emotional voting.  One huge lesson learnt so far is that words cannot deliver food on the table nor deliver on promises made, but action would.

This period before people queue to cast their votes should be the time for reflection at what their previous vote brought to the table, and stop hanging onto feeble lies of "we shall do this" rhetoric. In 2000, at the formation of the MDC, people voted for the party to take up all urban local authorities, they presided over all the Town Councils, Municipal Councils and the City Councils.  Nothing wrong in that, it is always good to try the new kid on the block.  What is however disturbing is their failure to fulfil the promises they make.  People voted for change which proved to be their worst mistake.

They voted for MDC councillors who were supposed to take care of service delivery.  Their promises were so lucrative and the people believed in their lies, until they lived their lives under squalid conditions for almost two decades.  MDC-T councils have failed residents that instead of progression, regression have been witnessed much to their disappointment and detriment. Water, sewer, roads and street lighting have become so bad people have adjusted to living with sewer on their doorsteps.  Street lights, and roads have not been maintained since they took over urban local authorities from ZANU PF in the early 2000s.  Refuse and waste disposal have become personal initiatives as they have been abandoned over a decade and a half ago.  During ZANU PF run councils that was in the early eighties to late nineties people used to receive plastic bins with every load taken.  Refuse collection was done regularly without excuses.

This was a time council was held to account by the people, but ever since people found the urge to change the council representatives, the order of the day has been such that sewer instead of clean water ran through the taps into homes.  The waiting list at council offices has been rendered useless as the greedy MDC-T councillors started grabbing land and throwing away town planning preferring to offer land barons large tracts of land who proceeded to fleece people of their hard earned money.

It's about time people focused ahead, and have a vision for the future.  The new dispensation in the short time that it has been in power has shown tremendous potential as compared to MDC-T in its five year stint in the Government of National Unity.  They had an opportunity at that time to show case their abilities within their given Ministries, but instead they enriched themselves and forgot the masses.  In just six months President Mnangagwa has managed to draw in investment to the tune of US$11 billion, a situation that will create jobs for the children of Zimbabwe, he has managed to resuscitate relations between Zimbabwe, Britain and the United States of America, because he has workable policies that will make Zimbabwe great again.  

Agriculture has been given a boost through intensifying Command Agriculture, Fisheries and Livestock and the recently introduced Command Housing to clear the housing backlog that the MDC-T led councils had created over a long time.   The clarion call by President Emmerson Mnangagwa that Zimbabwe is Open for Business has been received well globally and countries are pouring in to support Zimbabwe revive its economy.  

It is with this backdrop that Zimbabweans should exercise great patience and set their sights forward as they consider the possibility of where Zimbabwe would be under the leadership of President Mnangagwa.  President Mnangagwa has called for peaceful, fair and credible elections, and has stuck to his position something that has been admired by the diplomatic community and some observers already in the country ahead of the election.   President Mnangagwa has had fruitful six months in office, imagine what he can achieve in five years with the people's support.