23 August 2023: Our chance to make a difference?

Fellow citizens, ladies, and gentlemen,

It is a great honour and with real humility that I write you today. I am morbidly aware that I am writing you at a very difficult time in the history of our nation. I have watched, with great concern, and seen our currency lose its value against the United States Dollar (USD) in the past few weeks. And there is a screenshot circulating on social media depicting what is supposed to be, today, a Zimbabwean soldier's monthly salary, a measly USD10!

It is hard to imagine how most of our Indigenous people, particularly those in rural and remote areas, are expected to survive when they are confronted with such economic volatility. Honestly, I admire the resilience that our people have always shown when they are under political and economic pressure. As we might be aware, there is no condition that is ever permanent and I am convinced that we, as a people, shall soon overcome. We overcame the racist Smith regime and gave Robert Mugabe sleepless nights till his own people in Zanu PF rose against him.

If it weren't for the November 2017 coup, I am sure that Zimbabweans would today be under a sober, responsible, and democratic government. Coups have never led nations to democratic dispensations. I know there are many people who in 2017 were politically desperate and genuinely believed that a coup was the elixir we needed to reset our country to a different political path. Well, the past six years have reminded us that we should never be endeared to factional politics in any political setting.

Nonetheless, I am sure that many of us are now, more than ever before, ready for a new type of politics, democratic politics where you matter, we matter, and our people matter. Zimbabwe holds harmonised elections on 23 August 2023. Zimbabweans have, in the past, had the chance to change their leaders periodically since independence in April 1980. Most have voted in the past and are therefore knowledgeable about the mechanics and significance of voting. But there are those who will be voting for the first time, our inexperienced voters. These need to know more about voting. In this situation, the media and a smorgasbord of face-to-face voter education programmes are mandatory so that a significant proportion of the voting population is reached.

Political parties, especially those wholly and genuinely opposed to the tyrannical, oppressive, and incompetent Zimbabwean regime, should leave no stone unturned. As we move towards August, increase the pamphlet campaigns, mock elections, drama, and workshops. Also, take advantage of social media as a significant number of Zimbabweans at home and abroad have wider access to the internet. The role of families and friends should never be underestimated. Families and friends play quite a significant role in mobilising voters, particularly those who are voting for the first time in Zimbabwe. Those who are outside Zimbabwe and are being disenfranchised from voting should encourage their brothers and sisters in Zimbabwe to check the voters' roll, ensure that their names are there, and get up early on voting day so that they will exercise their democratic right. Encourage first time voters to vote for a better Zimbabwe where malnutrition, illiteracy, disease, foetid living conditions, low life expectancy, incessant power cuts, high cost of living, and poor salaries will be things of the past.

Fellow citizens, the power is in your vote. Voter education campaigns also ought to target undecided voters to motivate them to exercise their democratic right to vote. Further, I am appealing to civil and religious organisations and progressive trade unions to take the August 2023 elections seriously. Time isn't on our side, and we need to do all we can to change and transform our lives for the better. I have faith and confidence in our ability to do everything right so that we become who we need to be as a people.

The upcoming elections are all about making a difference in our lives, reconstruction, and development of our country. Voter education campaigns must be accessible in Indigenous languages and must emphasise that democratic principles such as mutual tolerance and freedom of the press are as important as voting skills themselves. It is equally important for all prospective voters to know that their vote is their secret and that they are free to vote for any party of their choice. We should never tolerate intimidation and violence before, during, and after voting. At most, we expect that at least 95% of registered voters will vote on 23 August.

Finally, the presence of impartial election observers in our country will help us have free, fair, and credible elections. The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission is notorious for presiding over controversial elections. Our elections might not be perfect, but they must be without any form of blemish. We cannot use elections to abuse democracy and ratify dictatorial tendencies. We must therefore obviate illegal interference with the electoral process. Election observers must be visible and readily recognised, particularly in rural and remote areas. Historically, election observers have been criticised for their urban bias to the neglect of rural areas where most Zimbabweans ordinarily reside. As the 23 August elections present us with the opportunity to make a difference in our lives, we also need to underscore that we can partner, work together, and engage meaningfully in human and economic development. Blessings!