Zimbabwe's Silent Struggle: A Nation on the brink but too fearful to rise

Zimbabwe is a nation in crisis, and the time for silence has passed. Power cuts are routine, water supplies are unreliable, and roads are riddled with potholes. The healthcare system has collapsed, with patients forced to sleep on hospital floors. Unemployment is rampant, and citizens struggle daily to make ends meet. Yet amid this hardship, the people remain silent - not because they are blind to their suffering, but because they are afraid. Years of political intimidation, state violence, and crackdowns on dissent have left Zimbabweans hesitant to speak out. But as the country spirals deeper into economic and social decay, the question is no longer if citizens will rise - it's when.

Zimbabweans are frustrated, angry, and tired of waiting for change. "I hope they can take advantage of the situation and do it, not for Geza but for themselves. Geza has lifted the lid, but mostly Zimbabweans don't care about their country anymore. That's the only concern I have." This sentiment reflects a nation on the edge, with people increasingly aware that passiveness will only allow the suffering to deepen.

Zimbabwe's deteriorating infrastructure paints a bleak picture. Electricity blackouts stretch for hours, sometimes days, plunging homes and businesses into darkness. In cities like Bulawayo, residents can go weeks without running water. Desperate builders in townships have resorted to using sewage water for construction because stopping work means no income - and no way to feed their families. This is not normal, and it should not be tolerated.

The roads are no better. What were once smooth highways are now riddled with potholes large enough to damage vehicles. A particularly glaring example is the Bulawayo-Victoria Falls road - a key route for tourism. Recently, a group of tourists captured global attention by taking photos of themselves relaxing in the massive potholes in the middle of the road. The images, which showed visitors sitting comfortably in the gaping holes, were both humorous and tragic - a stark symbol of Zimbabwe's crumbling infrastructure and the government's neglect. Zimbabweans cannot continue to endure these indignities in silence.

Zimbabwe's public health sector is no longer fit for purpose. Hospitals lack essential equipment and medicine, forcing patients to bring their own supplies or risk being turned away. With wards overcrowded and beds unavailable, some patients are left to sleep on cold floors - a grim reflection of the sector's collapse. Doctors and nurses, frustrated by low wages and poor working conditions, continue to leave the country in search of better opportunities. This exodus has worsened the crisis, leaving the remaining medical staff overworked and demoralized. How much more suffering must Zimbabweans endure before they rise and demand better?

Unemployment has soared, forcing many Zimbabweans to turn to informal trading. Yet even here, authorities are making life harder. The Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA) has begun aggressively taxing street vendors - individuals already operating on the brink of survival. In some cases, ZIMRA's actions have forced supermarkets to shut their doors, compounding the economic misery. Meanwhile, public frustration continues to mount as powerful elites flaunt their wealth. Figures like Wicknell Chivayo - a ZANU-PF loyalist with deep political ties - have become notorious for splashing money on expensive cars and gifts for celebrities. Chivayo's fortune is no mystery: he secures lucrative government tenders yet consistently fails to deliver on them without consequence. Zimbabweans must no longer tolerate such blatant corruption.

Many citizens are growing increasingly aware that real change will require direct action. "Change is needed in Zimbabwe. Mnangagwa is a failure without fear or favour. He has to step down voluntarily and peacefully." Calls like these reflect a growing demand for leadership change as the nation recognizes that corruption and mismanagement are the root causes of their suffering. Zimbabweans know that only collective action can force accountability.

Activist Blessed Geza has urged Zimbabweans to rise against President Emmerson Mnangagwa's regime, and while this call has so far yielded little visible momentum, it is a call that must be heard. While frustration simmers beneath the surface, the memories of past crackdowns linger. Zimbabweans have witnessed the brutal suppression of protests before - from the deadly January 2019 fuel price hike demonstrations to the post-election violence of 2018. The regime's reliance on the military and security forces has created an environment where challenging authority is met with intimidation, arrests, or worse. But fear cannot hold the nation hostage forever. Silence has not protected Zimbabweans; it has only emboldened the corrupt.

The ZANU-PF government has mastered the art of political control. By blending patronage, propaganda, and violence, it has silenced opposition and crushed dissent. Dissenting voices are targeted, activists are jailed, and journalists face harassment. This culture of fear has left many Zimbabweans feeling powerless - trapped between the hardship of their daily lives and the threat of state violence. Even within the ruling party's inner circles, figures like Chivayo thrive by aligning themselves with Mnangagwa's administration. By rewarding loyalty with government tenders and contracts, ZANU-PF ensures that wealth and power remain concentrated in the hands of a few while ordinary citizens bear the brunt of economic decay. This must end. Zimbabweans must no longer allow corruption to choke their future.

Despite the hardships, Zimbabweans are known for their resilience. Families endure power cuts by lighting candles and cooking over open fires. Vendors continue selling their goods in defiance of ZIMRA's aggressive tax raids. Communities pull together to patch up roads and support overwhelmed hospitals. But resilience alone will not fix Zimbabwe's crumbling institutions. Change requires courage - collective action, pressure on leadership, and accountability for those who loot public funds while citizens suffer. Zimbabweans must recognize their power. The system thrives on fear, but when people stand together, their voice cannot be silenced.

"They should [rise up], because everything in Zimbabwe is falling apart. The roads are in a sorry state particularly in Matabeleland and socio-economic hardship, lack of employment creation while they are plundering and pillaging the state resources for their personal gains." This anger is justified. Zimbabweans must no longer remain silent. The time to demand change is now. The courage to demand change - peacefully, persistently, and collectively - may be the only way to rebuild a nation that once held so much promise. The time for waiting is over. Zimbabweans must act now.