Opinion / Columnist
'2013 elections were so flawed, so illegal withdraw was the only logical step' - today it's only sane step
27 Jun 2022 at 06:43hrs | Views
"Zanu PF has won the Masvingo West ward 21 by-election," reported Zimeye.
"Sources in the ward spoke of intimidation of voters and rampant rigging by Zanu PF."
What is really infuriating is these reports of "intimidation of voters and rampant rigging by Zanu PF" are true. Chamisa and company know that Zanu PF is blatantly rigging these elections and yet they are the ones insisting on participating regardless.
It is insane to participate in an election in which even something as basic as a verified voters' roll is missing. Why is Chamisa and company dragging the nation into such an utterly pointless election process? The answer is found in answering a similar question regarding the MDC leaders' performance during the 2008 to 2013 GNU.
Why did MDC leaders fail to implement even one meaning democratic reform during the GNU?
"Mazivanhu eMDC adzidza kudya anyerere!" (MDC leaders have learned to enjoy the trappings of high office, they will not rock the boat!) Zanu PF cronies had boasted, answering the question.
The GNU was "the get-out-of-jail card" in terms of ending the Zanu PF dictatorship. Having wasted the golden opportunity to implement the democratic reforms during the GNU, MDC/CCC leaders have given up on reforms and free, fair and credible elections.
Starting with the 2013, the first post GNU elections, Chamisa and company have insisted in participating in the elections knowing fully well that Zanu PF was rigging and, even more significantly, knowing that by participating they will give Zanu PF legitimacy. They have participated regardless out of greed, as David Coltart confessed on all three points.
"The worst aspect for me about the failure to agree a coalition was that both MDCs couldn't now do the obvious – withdraw from the (2013) elections," wrote Senator Coltart in his Book, The Struggle Continues 50 years of Tyranny in Zimbabwe.
"The electoral process was so flawed, so illegal, that the only logical step was to withdraw, which would compel SADC to hold Zanu PF to account. But such was the distrust between the MDC-T and MDC-N that neither could withdraw for fear that the other would remain in the elections, winning seats and giving the process credibility."
Four of the main MDC factions plus three other opposition parties formed a new coalition, MDC Alliance, just before the 2018 elections. The dominance of the new coalition was self-evident as the election results showed. The issue of boycotting the 2018 elections was dismissed with claim the party had "winning in rigged election strategies".
Chamisa and his CCC are the dominant opposition party going into the 2023 elections. Not even one token democratic reform was implemented since the 2018 rigged elections. If boycotting the elections to push for reforms before elections were the "obvious" thing to do back in 2013 it is insane to do otherwise now!
And yet; surprise, surprise; Nelson Chamisa and his CCC friends are hell bent on participating in these flawed elections, knowing doing so will give Zanu PF legitimacy out of greed. They are after the few gravy train seats Zanu PF is offering to the opposition winners and POLAD consolation bonus prices to the opposition losers.
It is a crying shame that 42 years of our independence, 2 500 years after the Greeks gave mankind democracy as the answer to a more just, fair and progressive system of government; we are not only failing to define what constitute free, fair and credible election process, we are messing around with the oxymoronic nonsense of "winning in rigged election strategies"!
Zanu PF is blatantly rigging the 2023 and according to the CCC warped political ethos of "winning in rigged election strategies", Zanu PF has the right to rig the elections!
The Zimbabwe election process is now so flawed it is insane to participate in such process especially when doing so gives legitimacy to the vote rigging Zanu PF. We demand the implementation of the democratic reforms and the restoration of the people's right to a meaningful say in the governance of the country. And the unequivocal rejection of the nonsense that Zanu PF has the right to rig elections!
Zanu PF does not have the right to impose itself on the nation. The mandate to rule Zimbabwe is derive from winning the majority vote in free, fair and credible election process. The democratic freedoms and rights of the people must be fully restored as a matter of urgency.
Zimbabwe has been hurting to do something right after four decades of blundering from pillar to post. Well here is something we can do, restore the democratic rights of every Zimbabwean and the rule of law.
"Sources in the ward spoke of intimidation of voters and rampant rigging by Zanu PF."
What is really infuriating is these reports of "intimidation of voters and rampant rigging by Zanu PF" are true. Chamisa and company know that Zanu PF is blatantly rigging these elections and yet they are the ones insisting on participating regardless.
It is insane to participate in an election in which even something as basic as a verified voters' roll is missing. Why is Chamisa and company dragging the nation into such an utterly pointless election process? The answer is found in answering a similar question regarding the MDC leaders' performance during the 2008 to 2013 GNU.
Why did MDC leaders fail to implement even one meaning democratic reform during the GNU?
"Mazivanhu eMDC adzidza kudya anyerere!" (MDC leaders have learned to enjoy the trappings of high office, they will not rock the boat!) Zanu PF cronies had boasted, answering the question.
The GNU was "the get-out-of-jail card" in terms of ending the Zanu PF dictatorship. Having wasted the golden opportunity to implement the democratic reforms during the GNU, MDC/CCC leaders have given up on reforms and free, fair and credible elections.
Starting with the 2013, the first post GNU elections, Chamisa and company have insisted in participating in the elections knowing fully well that Zanu PF was rigging and, even more significantly, knowing that by participating they will give Zanu PF legitimacy. They have participated regardless out of greed, as David Coltart confessed on all three points.
"The worst aspect for me about the failure to agree a coalition was that both MDCs couldn't now do the obvious – withdraw from the (2013) elections," wrote Senator Coltart in his Book, The Struggle Continues 50 years of Tyranny in Zimbabwe.
"The electoral process was so flawed, so illegal, that the only logical step was to withdraw, which would compel SADC to hold Zanu PF to account. But such was the distrust between the MDC-T and MDC-N that neither could withdraw for fear that the other would remain in the elections, winning seats and giving the process credibility."
Chamisa and his CCC are the dominant opposition party going into the 2023 elections. Not even one token democratic reform was implemented since the 2018 rigged elections. If boycotting the elections to push for reforms before elections were the "obvious" thing to do back in 2013 it is insane to do otherwise now!
And yet; surprise, surprise; Nelson Chamisa and his CCC friends are hell bent on participating in these flawed elections, knowing doing so will give Zanu PF legitimacy out of greed. They are after the few gravy train seats Zanu PF is offering to the opposition winners and POLAD consolation bonus prices to the opposition losers.
It is a crying shame that 42 years of our independence, 2 500 years after the Greeks gave mankind democracy as the answer to a more just, fair and progressive system of government; we are not only failing to define what constitute free, fair and credible election process, we are messing around with the oxymoronic nonsense of "winning in rigged election strategies"!
Zanu PF is blatantly rigging the 2023 and according to the CCC warped political ethos of "winning in rigged election strategies", Zanu PF has the right to rig the elections!
The Zimbabwe election process is now so flawed it is insane to participate in such process especially when doing so gives legitimacy to the vote rigging Zanu PF. We demand the implementation of the democratic reforms and the restoration of the people's right to a meaningful say in the governance of the country. And the unequivocal rejection of the nonsense that Zanu PF has the right to rig elections!
Zanu PF does not have the right to impose itself on the nation. The mandate to rule Zimbabwe is derive from winning the majority vote in free, fair and credible election process. The democratic freedoms and rights of the people must be fully restored as a matter of urgency.
Zimbabwe has been hurting to do something right after four decades of blundering from pillar to post. Well here is something we can do, restore the democratic rights of every Zimbabwean and the rule of law.
Source - zimbabwelight.blogspot.com
All articles and letters published on Bulawayo24 have been independently written by members of Bulawayo24's community. The views of users published on Bulawayo24 are therefore their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Bulawayo24. Bulawayo24 editors also reserve the right to edit or delete any and all comments received.
