Opinion / Columnist
Zimbabwe's democracy crisis persists as we remain stuck at the bottom of global rankings
18 Sep 2025 at 06:03hrs | 458 Views
No one has tarnished the image of Zimbabwe on the global stage more than our own government.
The Global State of Democracy 2025 report has once again delivered an uncomfortable truth for Zimbabwe: our country remains firmly among the lowest-ranked in the world, with dismal scores across Representation, Rights, Rule of Law, and Participation.
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At a time when some African peers are improving their democratic credentials, Zimbabwe continues to slide deeper into authoritarian stagnation.
This is not simply an academic index; it reflects the lived reality of Zimbabweans who endure daily repression, economic malaise, and the suffocation of hope.
The report ranked Zimbabwe 147 in the world on the Rule of Law, underscoring the extent to which our justice system has been captured.
Few cases demonstrate this better than that of opposition leader Job Sikhala, who spent nearly two years behind bars without trial and was consistently denied his constitutional right to bail.
His charges - eventually thrown out by the High Court for lack of merit - exposed how the law is weaponized not to deliver justice, but to punish dissent.
This is just one of many instances that have exposed the judiciary's captured nature.
Sikhala's ordeal epitomized the rot within a judiciary that shields the politically connected while crushing opponents.
When courts are reduced to instruments of partisan repression, democracy becomes an empty word.
Equally troubling is Zimbabwe's low score on Rights, where we rank 118 globally.
Over the past year, the government has intensified its assault on civil liberties.
Civil society organizations continue to be threatened with deregistration under restrictive legislation, while police routinely ban opposition rallies under the guise of maintaining public order.
Ahead of the 44th Ordinary SADC Summit hosted in Harare in August 2024, dozens of opposition supporters and civic activists were arrested or harassed, a move clearly designed to sanitize the political environment and prevent any embarrassing displays of dissent before visiting heads of state.
These actions not only violated constitutional freedoms but also revealed a government more concerned with international optics than with respecting the rights of its own people.
Zimbabwe's poor ranking on Representation, at 116, is tied directly to the disputed August 2023 elections, which fall squarely within the report's review period.
Observers, both domestic and international, noted widespread irregularities: a compromised voter roll, biased state media, the misuse of state resources, and outright intimidation of voters.
Far from being an expression of the people's will, the elections were carefully stage-managed exercises in retaining power.
Parliament has been reduced to little more than a rubber stamp, firmly dominated by ZANU-PF through coercion, patronage, and the systematic weakening of the opposition.
Representation in Zimbabwe today is not about reflecting the people's voice, but about consolidating the ruling elite's stranglehold on power.
On Participation, ranked at 111, Zimbabwe continues to suffer from a climate of fear that discourages genuine civic engagement.
When ordinary citizens risk alienation and even violence for supporting the opposition, or when NGOs are hounded for trying to empower communities, the result is not only shrinking democratic space but growing apathy.
Many young people have lost faith in politics altogether, seeing elections and activism alike as futile under such a repressive regime.
This disengagement is not a natural state - it is engineered by a government that benefits from silencing alternative voices and hollowing out public participation.
Contrast Zimbabwe's stagnation with the progress made by some of our African peers.
Zambia, since the election of Hakainde Hichilema in 2021, has taken steps - however imperfect - towards restoring media freedoms, strengthening judicial independence, and creating space for civil society.
These reforms have improved Zambia's democratic standing and rekindled hope among its citizens.
Botswana, too, made history in 2024 by overseeing a peaceful transfer of power after the Botswana Democratic Party lost its grip for the first time since independence.
Observers praised the transparency of the process, and the fact that institutions respected the electorate's will.
Kenya, long scarred by contested elections, has in recent years invested in electoral reforms and judicial strengthening, with its 2022 elections marking a notable improvement in credibility and transparency.
These examples prove that democratic renewal is possible in Africa, even under difficult conditions, when there is political will.
Zimbabwe's rulers, however, prefer to dismiss poor global rankings as the work of hostile outsiders or as Western propaganda.
This denial is both dishonest and destructive.
The Global State of Democracy report draws on objective, internationally recognized indicators, measuring everything from judicial independence and press freedom to electoral integrity and civic space.
These are not inventions; they are mirrors reflecting Zimbabwe's lived reality.
To dismiss them is to ignore the cries of ordinary Zimbabweans who suffer under repression, corruption, and exclusion.
The lesson from our neighbors is simple: progress comes when leaders place the interests of the people above the preservation of power.
In Zambia, citizens were able to change governments through the ballot box because institutions respected their role.
In Botswana, entrenched power yielded to democratic will without chaos.
In Kenya, reforms showed that even long-troubled systems can improve.
Zimbabwe should be learning from these examples, not wallowing in denial and repression.
Unless Zimbabwe confronts its governance crisis honestly and decisively, our global reputation will remain in tatters.
Moving up the democracy rankings requires more than rhetoric about sovereignty or tired scapegoating of sanctions - it demands genuine electoral reform, restoration of judicial independence, respect for constitutional rights, and the opening of civic space.
Above all, it requires leaders who understand that legitimacy flows from the consent of the governed, not from coercion or manipulation.
For now, Zimbabwe remains condemned to the bottom tier of global democracy.
As others on the continent show that democratic renewal is possible, our country risks being remembered not for its liberation struggle or its potential, but for its squandered promise and its stubborn refusal to change.
The Global State of Democracy 2025 report should not only embarrass us - it should jolt us into action.
Until then, Zimbabwe will remain trapped in authoritarian decay, with its citizens paying the highest price.
© Tendai Ruben Mbofana is a social justice advocate and writer. Please feel free to WhatsApp or Call: +263715667700 | +263782283975, or email: mbofana.tendairuben73@gmail.com, or visit website: https://mbofanatendairuben.news.blog/
The Global State of Democracy 2025 report has once again delivered an uncomfortable truth for Zimbabwe: our country remains firmly among the lowest-ranked in the world, with dismal scores across Representation, Rights, Rule of Law, and Participation.
To directly receive articles from Tendai Ruben Mbofana, please join his WhatsApp Channel on: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaqprWCIyPtRnKpkHe08
At a time when some African peers are improving their democratic credentials, Zimbabwe continues to slide deeper into authoritarian stagnation.
This is not simply an academic index; it reflects the lived reality of Zimbabweans who endure daily repression, economic malaise, and the suffocation of hope.
The report ranked Zimbabwe 147 in the world on the Rule of Law, underscoring the extent to which our justice system has been captured.
Few cases demonstrate this better than that of opposition leader Job Sikhala, who spent nearly two years behind bars without trial and was consistently denied his constitutional right to bail.
His charges - eventually thrown out by the High Court for lack of merit - exposed how the law is weaponized not to deliver justice, but to punish dissent.
This is just one of many instances that have exposed the judiciary's captured nature.
Sikhala's ordeal epitomized the rot within a judiciary that shields the politically connected while crushing opponents.
When courts are reduced to instruments of partisan repression, democracy becomes an empty word.
Equally troubling is Zimbabwe's low score on Rights, where we rank 118 globally.
Over the past year, the government has intensified its assault on civil liberties.
Civil society organizations continue to be threatened with deregistration under restrictive legislation, while police routinely ban opposition rallies under the guise of maintaining public order.
Ahead of the 44th Ordinary SADC Summit hosted in Harare in August 2024, dozens of opposition supporters and civic activists were arrested or harassed, a move clearly designed to sanitize the political environment and prevent any embarrassing displays of dissent before visiting heads of state.
These actions not only violated constitutional freedoms but also revealed a government more concerned with international optics than with respecting the rights of its own people.
Zimbabwe's poor ranking on Representation, at 116, is tied directly to the disputed August 2023 elections, which fall squarely within the report's review period.
Observers, both domestic and international, noted widespread irregularities: a compromised voter roll, biased state media, the misuse of state resources, and outright intimidation of voters.
Far from being an expression of the people's will, the elections were carefully stage-managed exercises in retaining power.
Parliament has been reduced to little more than a rubber stamp, firmly dominated by ZANU-PF through coercion, patronage, and the systematic weakening of the opposition.
Representation in Zimbabwe today is not about reflecting the people's voice, but about consolidating the ruling elite's stranglehold on power.
On Participation, ranked at 111, Zimbabwe continues to suffer from a climate of fear that discourages genuine civic engagement.
When ordinary citizens risk alienation and even violence for supporting the opposition, or when NGOs are hounded for trying to empower communities, the result is not only shrinking democratic space but growing apathy.
Many young people have lost faith in politics altogether, seeing elections and activism alike as futile under such a repressive regime.
This disengagement is not a natural state - it is engineered by a government that benefits from silencing alternative voices and hollowing out public participation.
Contrast Zimbabwe's stagnation with the progress made by some of our African peers.
Zambia, since the election of Hakainde Hichilema in 2021, has taken steps - however imperfect - towards restoring media freedoms, strengthening judicial independence, and creating space for civil society.
These reforms have improved Zambia's democratic standing and rekindled hope among its citizens.
Botswana, too, made history in 2024 by overseeing a peaceful transfer of power after the Botswana Democratic Party lost its grip for the first time since independence.
Observers praised the transparency of the process, and the fact that institutions respected the electorate's will.
Kenya, long scarred by contested elections, has in recent years invested in electoral reforms and judicial strengthening, with its 2022 elections marking a notable improvement in credibility and transparency.
These examples prove that democratic renewal is possible in Africa, even under difficult conditions, when there is political will.
Zimbabwe's rulers, however, prefer to dismiss poor global rankings as the work of hostile outsiders or as Western propaganda.
This denial is both dishonest and destructive.
The Global State of Democracy report draws on objective, internationally recognized indicators, measuring everything from judicial independence and press freedom to electoral integrity and civic space.
These are not inventions; they are mirrors reflecting Zimbabwe's lived reality.
To dismiss them is to ignore the cries of ordinary Zimbabweans who suffer under repression, corruption, and exclusion.
The lesson from our neighbors is simple: progress comes when leaders place the interests of the people above the preservation of power.
In Zambia, citizens were able to change governments through the ballot box because institutions respected their role.
In Botswana, entrenched power yielded to democratic will without chaos.
In Kenya, reforms showed that even long-troubled systems can improve.
Zimbabwe should be learning from these examples, not wallowing in denial and repression.
Unless Zimbabwe confronts its governance crisis honestly and decisively, our global reputation will remain in tatters.
Moving up the democracy rankings requires more than rhetoric about sovereignty or tired scapegoating of sanctions - it demands genuine electoral reform, restoration of judicial independence, respect for constitutional rights, and the opening of civic space.
Above all, it requires leaders who understand that legitimacy flows from the consent of the governed, not from coercion or manipulation.
For now, Zimbabwe remains condemned to the bottom tier of global democracy.
As others on the continent show that democratic renewal is possible, our country risks being remembered not for its liberation struggle or its potential, but for its squandered promise and its stubborn refusal to change.
The Global State of Democracy 2025 report should not only embarrass us - it should jolt us into action.
Until then, Zimbabwe will remain trapped in authoritarian decay, with its citizens paying the highest price.
© Tendai Ruben Mbofana is a social justice advocate and writer. Please feel free to WhatsApp or Call: +263715667700 | +263782283975, or email: mbofana.tendairuben73@gmail.com, or visit website: https://mbofanatendairuben.news.blog/
Source - Tendai Ruben Mbofana
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