Zimbabweans will wake up after elections…well, hopefully!

Yesterday, during a relative's burial, I had a wonderful opportunity to mix and mingle with friends, family, neighbors and people from all walks of life.

In these interactions - especially with those who read my articles - the discussions, inevitably, touched on the state of the economy and country at large.

Most of those I talked with had one common question, "So, what will it take for Zimbabweans to finally rise up, in the face of our untold suffering?"

Of course, that has also been a central theme in quite a significant number of my writings - which we can say is the 'million dollar question'.

Sad as it was, I had no definite answer to give - not before, not yesterday, and I seriously doubt if I ever will have it.

What baffles many is how, even after the famed Al Jazeera exposé on the grand unparalleled looting of our gold by those in power, Zimbabweans were still unbelievably calm, never appearing unnerved or agitated by the entire scandal.

In spite of the undercover investigations signaling the massive plundering of our gold - Zimbabweans are still going about their business as if all was well

With estimates pointing at Zimbabwe losing over US$100 million each and every month through smuggling - most times with the direct participation and complicity of very high offices in the land - Zimbabweans do not seem aggrieved or angry.

In fact, there are those - who are poor and suffering as well - actually at the forefront of defending these plunderers, and trivializing or legitimizing the impact of their despicable criminal deeds.

The country is being prejudiced billions of dollars more in illegal diamond and lithium sales, illicit cross-border financial transactions, and other corrupt economic activities - particularly by powerful cartels and mafias aligned to the political elite.

It appears not to matter that all these dirty dealings directly contributes to residents going for years without potable water in their homes - not only causing serious inconvenience, but also placing entire communities at the real risk of such diseases as cholera (which is already rearing its deadly head, again, in some parts of the country).

This, as those in authority fail to construct sufficient water bodies, as well as never expanding and modernizing distribution systems for this precision liquid.

Zimbabweans do not seem to mind enduring incessant electricity outages - lasting for up to 20 hours each and every day, in spite of repeated insincere claims by both the government and power utility (ZESA) of the 'situation improving'.

This has left not just a nation forced into resorting to archaic and environmentally damaging alternatives, as cutting down trees for fire - but, threatens to further cripple an already limping national economy - thereby, worsening the plight of a severely impoverished population.

How can we not suffer - when the ZANU PF regime sat on its laurels for the past 43 years, ever since the country attained independence from Britain - never investing in constructing meaningful electricity generation infrastructure, or sufficiently maintaining those in existence ?

What manner of leadership sees nothing amiss with relying on antiquated colonial era equipment - that was itself already second-hand when it was installed in the 1960s, due to economic sanctions imposed on the Rhodesian administration after UDI?

On top of this, as manufacturers increasingly depend on fuel-powered generators for electricity - the additional  cost is inevitably passed on to the consumer - further exacerbating an already dire economic situation, whereby half the population lives in extreme poverty, whilst two thirds of the workforce earn below the poverty datum line.

As Zimbabweans go on with life unperturbed - their health care facilities are on the verge of collapse, lacking the bare basics - thereby, rendering them not fit for purpose, and actually turning into death traps.

Therefore, after watching all the unashamed plunder of our vast mineral resources, right there on television - with some of the culprits proudly implicating not only themselves, but also the highest office in the land - why are Zimbabweans seemingly so calm, unmoved and unconcerned?

In my conversations yesterday at the funeral, I made one comment - let us not forget that these are the same people who had to buy a loaf of bread for billions of useless Zimbabwe dollars - yet, never raised any ire!

Around 2007 - at the height of the country's record-breaking hyperinflation epoch - one could enter a huge supermarket as OK Zimbabwe, only to find shelves staked with nothing but maputi (roasted maize).

In spite of the ordinary citizenry failing to not only afford, but even access, basic commodities as cooking oil, mealie meal,  salt, sugar, meat, and so much more - everyone went about their lives as if all was normal.

In fact, during my short stint in South Africa between 2008 and 2010 - the first NGO I worked with was quite active in sending food parcels to Zimbabwe every week for the starving - which was an insurmountable task, considering that nearly every household in the country (including my own family back home in Redcliff) was suffering.

Yet, still Zimbabweans did nothing.

Maybe - as we are witnessing today - they placed their hopes in elections, as the best way of removing a government that had turned their lives into a horrifying nightmare.

Well, we all know how that turned out!

After losing to then MDC-T leader Morgan Richard Tsvangirai in March 2008 presidential elections - ruthless dictator Robert Gabriel Mugabe, with the encouragement of his trusted henchmen, unleashed a brutal reign of terror upon the population, in the process, callously butchering hundreds of opposition supporters.

This was not before he (Mugabe) - through the partisan electoral commission - firstly, delayed announcing the election results, and then, fraudulently reducing Tsvangirai's victory margin, so as to force a re-run.

In fact, Mugabe himself was to later inadvertently reveal that his main rival, Tsvangirai, had actually won by over 70 per cent of the popular vote - yet, this figure was scandalously changed to 47.9 per cent, and Mugabe with 43.2.

In so doing, if Zimbabweans had sat idly by, through all their poverty and suffering - hoping for a flawed electoral process as their panacea and reprieve - well, boy were they proven fundamentally misguided!

Yet, in utter shock and bewilderment, this is precisely the same logic and thinking still guiding most Zimbabweans today.

As they lamely watch their own resources stolen by those in power, in broad daylight (without any remorse or shame) - those enduring the brunt of a crippled economy still hope that their salvation is in another flawed electoral process - this time either in July or August of this year.

There is never a shortage of those beaming with confidence that, if enough people (a huge number) turned out to vote for the opposition - then, it will nearly be impossible for the ZANU PF regime to rig.

These people appear to conveniently forget that the country is now in the hands of the same Mugabe henchmen, who encouraged him not to concede defeat in March 2008 - but instead, launch a heinous barbaric murderous campaign upon a defenseless population.

In addition, what 'huge turnout' can one surely expect in an election, which can not be rigged - even Tsvangirai's over 70 per cent victory margin was easily reduced to a paltry 47.9 per cent by the electoral commission?

Zimbabweans appear to love dreaming, and this is one of those dreams.

Burying our heads in the sand, hoping for our livelihoods to change simply through a few strokes of the pen is quite attractive - but, that is only a pipe dream in a country as Zimbabwe.

There is need for more - even if that means sacrificing one's own comfort, freedom and even life.

Yet, that may not even need be the case

I still do not understand why Zimbabweans are not willing to undertake the relatively peaceful, non-confrontational and virtually risk-free option of national stay aways, strikes, and shutdowns?

Whether these will move the oppressive kleptomaniac ruling elite is something we will have to see - but, we can not give up before even trying.  

What are we afraid of in merely staying in our homes for a specific period of time, as a way of pressuring our government to heed and yield to our demands?

No one is being asked to march or demonstrate in the streets - but rather, using a more passive means of protesting.

Even Mahatma Gandhi managed to lead his people of India to victory and independence from British colonial rule through so-called 'passive resistance'.

As I told those I met yesterday, the people of Zimbabwe will finally get a rude awakening after this year's elections - as they wake up to the news that the same people, who have callously ruined their lives, are still in power.

Well, as least it is my hope that the impoverished and struggling citizenry will wake up.

Otherwise, as we have already seen before - they may simply move on to another daydream…maybe, this time to the 2028 elections.

- Tendai Ruben Mbofana is a social justice advocate, writer, researcher, and social commentator. Please feel free to WhatsApp or Call: +263715667700 | +263782283975, or email: mbofana.tendairuben73@gmail.com