Ballot box democracy in Zimbabwe

I agree with minister Mzembi when he condemned violence and fake prophets at the  just ended Gospel Music Festival in Gwanda . I am not an advocate of violence!! Violence will only destroy our beloved country Zimbabwe.  But its people like Chihuri (Commissioner General of Police) who are driving people this far.

I wish Zimbabwe was as democratic as minister said in terms elections, then Zimbabwe was going to remain a peaceful country.  People like Chihuri are hypocrites and don't practice what they preach. I am saying this as an ex-police officer who witnessed and knows how undemocratic elections can be in Zimbabwe.

I am writing this article from first hand information not hearsay. And I repeat that it is people like Chihuri who are imposters, who preach peace but go and practice violence. There are driving our beloved country to implosion.

If Chihuri practise the peace he preached about at the just ended Gospel Music Festival in Gwanda then our beloved country was going to remain peaceful.

This draws me back to 2008. I painfully still remember 2008 presidential re-run elections while I was still serving in the Police force when the  Chihuri forceful ordered all police officers ( me included ) to vote for Zanu.

It was 21:00 hours when I was arraigned before a senior officer to 'cast' my vote for Zanu against my wish. I still remember Jokingly asking the Senior officer who was presiding over the  postal voting  why she didn't just vote for me since she knew I was put my 'X' for zanu without choice.

She was very sincere in her reply  and she said "my son just like you I have been ordered by the boss (Chihuri) to tell/force you  to put your vote for zanu". I could not begrudge her, just like me she had a family to feed and besides being a disciplined officer she was just implementing the boss's order. Is that then what you call ballot box democracy minister Mzembi and comrade Chihuri? Is that the democratic fight to make the ballot box the theatre of change, not street fighting you were talking about in Gwanda?

Taking my constitutional right (to vote for the party of my choice) or not voting if I so wished, was the worst thing that Chihuri did to me. It is one of the reasons that led me to quit the police force more earlier than I had wanted- zanufication of the Police force by Chihuri.  I am being told that Police officers are forced to attend ' his' church , but I have no evidence to that. If its true , then Chihuri have joined those who are commercialising the word of God like you said minister Mzembi.

God bless Gwanda, its people and our beautiful Zimbabwe.

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Clifford Sibanda <cliffords044@gmail.com>