Opinion / Columnist
2023 polls a race between two horses
09 Jun 2021 at 07:15hrs | Views
THE 2023 harmonised elections outcome will confirm what we already know. All the other presidential candidates will, as in 2018, make up numbers except for Nelson Chamisa and his MDC Alliance party and Emmerson Mnangagwa and his Zanu-PF.
Forget about the opportunistic MDC-T leader Douglas Mwonzora. He has zero grassroot support. The Supreme Court judgment gave him the party name, but the people who happen to be the political court have rejected him outrightly. He will be lucky to get even 1% votes in the coming polls if he dares contest for the presidency.
Chamisa's chances
There are real chances that Chamisa might against all odds cruise to victory in 2023. The "virgin votes" count is likely to tip the scales in his favour. The majority of the 2023 voters have nothing to lose by voting for him.
-In spite of endless attacks which have resulted in Chamisa losing his party offices, councillors, Members of Parliament, and financing from Parliament, he has remained unsinkable, resolute and unconquerable.
-His support base has widened to the extent that Zanu-PF is too scared to face him in council and parliamentary by-elections which were triggered by Mwonzora and Thokozani Khupe recalls. The COVID-19 pandemic is being used as an excuse to avoid the byelections.
-Under a free and fair environment, there is no doubt that Chamisa stands a chance of garnering more than 50% plus one votes in the 2023 polls. He has enough strategies to dislodge Mnangagwa from power.
If Chamisa can maintain his 2018 votes and add 60%+ of the virgin vote, then the State House keys will be his after the 2023 presidential vote count.
Mnangagwa's chances
The Zanu-PF leader has realistic chances to remain in office. He enjoys the benefits of incumbency. The land redistribution programme ahead of the 2023 polls might increase Zanu-PF votes in rural areas.
However, this might prove difficult as he would have to grab farms from his party members, but this might be a profitable gamble.
-A deliberate youth empowerment programme which can benefit at least 40% of the "virgin voters" might be a deciding factor. But with government nearly broke or facing economic challenges, where will the finances come from?
-The Zanu-PF trump card will be improving the salaries and working conditions of all civil servants. The disgruntled government employees, jobless youths, poor urban and rural people are likely to deliver knock-out blows to Zanu-PF.
-The 2023 polls will once more test the strength of our democracy. Accusations of gerrymandering and rigging are already being peddled as the main parties rally their supporters to go and register to vote.
-The world will be watching. No candidate should be seen crushing his competitors' legs to win the race.
Forget about the opportunistic MDC-T leader Douglas Mwonzora. He has zero grassroot support. The Supreme Court judgment gave him the party name, but the people who happen to be the political court have rejected him outrightly. He will be lucky to get even 1% votes in the coming polls if he dares contest for the presidency.
Chamisa's chances
There are real chances that Chamisa might against all odds cruise to victory in 2023. The "virgin votes" count is likely to tip the scales in his favour. The majority of the 2023 voters have nothing to lose by voting for him.
-In spite of endless attacks which have resulted in Chamisa losing his party offices, councillors, Members of Parliament, and financing from Parliament, he has remained unsinkable, resolute and unconquerable.
-His support base has widened to the extent that Zanu-PF is too scared to face him in council and parliamentary by-elections which were triggered by Mwonzora and Thokozani Khupe recalls. The COVID-19 pandemic is being used as an excuse to avoid the byelections.
-Under a free and fair environment, there is no doubt that Chamisa stands a chance of garnering more than 50% plus one votes in the 2023 polls. He has enough strategies to dislodge Mnangagwa from power.
If Chamisa can maintain his 2018 votes and add 60%+ of the virgin vote, then the State House keys will be his after the 2023 presidential vote count.
Mnangagwa's chances
The Zanu-PF leader has realistic chances to remain in office. He enjoys the benefits of incumbency. The land redistribution programme ahead of the 2023 polls might increase Zanu-PF votes in rural areas.
However, this might prove difficult as he would have to grab farms from his party members, but this might be a profitable gamble.
-A deliberate youth empowerment programme which can benefit at least 40% of the "virgin voters" might be a deciding factor. But with government nearly broke or facing economic challenges, where will the finances come from?
-The Zanu-PF trump card will be improving the salaries and working conditions of all civil servants. The disgruntled government employees, jobless youths, poor urban and rural people are likely to deliver knock-out blows to Zanu-PF.
-The 2023 polls will once more test the strength of our democracy. Accusations of gerrymandering and rigging are already being peddled as the main parties rally their supporters to go and register to vote.
-The world will be watching. No candidate should be seen crushing his competitors' legs to win the race.
Source - newsday
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