Even a horn can be stopped from fighting and made to sing forever

Although Democracy is discredited as "the last refuge to cheap misgovernment," by some writers and other scholars- the people of Zimbabwe seem to have seen it as a sanctuary for more forward-thinking governance.

Zanu-PF primary elections held before the manipulated rerun, which saw big names that had fallen by the wayside bouncing back through intimidation, vote buying, and all the misrepresentation of the true nature of activity associated with the party; is the best barometer to measure the national mood towards democracy.

The initial primary election ushered a new era in the seemingly relaxation of the rules. As one musician once sang that if you stand for the truth, you stand alone; I am going to tell the truth, nothing else but the truth. So help me God. Luckily this time I am not going to stand alone because still the Zanu-PF electorate stood by the truth.

In fact, I have seen that people have shown that even in Zanu-PF they are now tired of the same old aged faces, hanging around in the political arena longer than the portrait of Jesus Christ in churches. The cult has been singing about the new dispensation and liberation struggle, as if the phrases have found a new meaning in the dictionary.

This disease of overstaying one’s welcome has seen most African nations with once vibrant economies being annihilated by thinly veiled traditional Monarchs or Royal Houses. Zanu-PF’s Robert Mugabe, Emmerson Mnangagwa, Joice Mujuru and others cannot be missing on the Monarchic political system equation, which never benefited the nation, but helped them to amass obscene wealth.  

Unlike the West and most European countries that got urbanized as Monarchic institutions that saw an improvement on the lives of the general populace, and are today using democracy to maintain checks and balances on those managing their wealth- Zanu-PF with all the destruction and the misery it brought about to its own people is vowing to hang on until chicken come home to roost.

To us ordinary Zimbabweans who are not part of the traditional monarch equation; if we read between the lines the phrase, “Operation Restore Legacy” means Zanu-PF is going to use every trick in the book to safeguard their ill-gotten wealth.

After 37 years in power, the only legacy Robert Mugabe left is the suffering of people due to his economic mismanagement and authoritarian rule. What is mind-boggling is that the current President and his cronies are out there trying to restore such a legacy. What legacy? Whose legacy? Who benefits from the legacy?

Zimbabweans should not be excited about the possibility of a brighter future at the moment, until all the old faces that ruined their lives are obliterated from the current political page, and new ones are clearly printed on a new page through the ballot box.

Regrettably, some of our brothers are still blindfolded to the extent that if they are listed as some of the few beneficiaries of a few grains of ‘plastic’ rice they think that they have made a lifetime achievement.

But Bertrand Russell once said, “If one man offers you democracy and another offers you a bag of grain, at what stage of starvation do you prefer the grain to the vote?”

On the other hand, the MDC Alliance’s manifesto was well articulated that it paints a bright future for ordinary Zimbabweans, but sadly it’s one thing writing a brilliant piece and implementing it when one is elected into office. Nonetheless people are prepared to give them a benefit of doubt at the moment while expecting them to bring a complete change to the country.

However, the unfortunate scenario associated with MDC since its formation is that they are known for preparing beautiful and comprehensive documents and lists of demands that would ensure a free, fair and credible election in Zimbabwe, but never make a passionate follow up of those demands.

Chamisa, two months ago wrote to Mnangagwa saying he was willing to engage him on the issues on an equal footing, since he (Mnangagwa) was also a candidate, but so far we never heard of any fervent follow up to the subject except the recent successful demonstration held this week.

The Alliance leadership outlined ten demands that are said to be enshrined in the MDC Alliance’s Plan and Environment and Credible Election (PEACE), including the role of the military in Zimbabwe’s elections, the independence of ZEC- with 40 percent of its secretariat either serving or retired members of the military.

Impartiality, free and equal coverage of all contesting parties by the public broadcaster, legislative reforms covering the Electoral Act, the Public Order and Security Act as well as the Access to Information and Privacy  Act, which they say proscribed fundamental freedoms of speech and assembly, were some of their major demands.

They also demanded the need for all contesting parties to audit the voters roll and the need to stem violence and intimidation so that the sovereign expression of the people is not curtailed.

However, it is left to be seen if Zanu-PF is willing to yield to all these demands. If they (MDC Alliance) take off their foot from the pedal because they have been offered a piecemeal deal when ZBC beamed live the launch of their manifesto, then we are heading for another conspiracy theory of NIKUV.

Surely if they religiously follow up their demands, then a horn can simply be made to stop fighting and made to sing forever.