Is a free, fair and credible election poll possible in 2018? Certainly not. There is a lot of resistance and delaying tactics by the ruling Zanu PF party, which will stampede the opposition into rigged and fixed polls in 2018.
By Pardon Maguta,Our Reader
The 2018 elections are already rigged as Zanu PF put in place cosmetic electoral reforms with electoral processes and procedures remaining fundamentally unchanged.
The electoral playing field remains uneven and tilted in Zanu PF’s favour, with only a few months left before the elections.
The so-called biometric voters’ roll will not deliver a transparent election, as it only seeks to clean the voters’ roll mess, but does not address issues of voter intimidation before, during and after election day.
As long as Zanu PF is free to use the “Green Bombers” or youth militia, traditional leaders, overzealous civil servants and members of security services without check, it means the 2018 elections already have a winner and that winner is Zanu PF.
The best move the opposition can do in the midst of Zanu PF political intransigence is to galvanise their members and supporters. 2018 is not a small battle.
Boycotting the coming elections is not even an option. So the opposition must prepare and harden their membership for the coming “war”.
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Expecting Zanu PF to agree to hold free, fair, transparent and credible polls is like expecting the devil to follow the biblical 10 Commandments. That will never happen. What Zanu PF is prepared to have are rigged and pre-determined elections.
The opposition parties must know democracy will never be delivered on a silver platter. So their planning must be centred around unlocking the Zanu PF rigging machine.
Not to plan against that and waiting for electoral reforms to defeat Zanu PF is tantamount to walking into a trap. It’s expecting too much from Zanu PF. It’s not different from entrenching the status quo.
In short, people must stop expecting free, fair and credible polls, not even a translucent poll. That is a myth. It will never happen as long as the Zanu PF regime is in charge of national affairs.
Knocking the ruling party out of power in elections needs diverse and complicated planning. It needs more than just forming a coalition.
It needs more than courage and numbers. Determination and perseverance of our leaders against all odds and adversities Zanu PF will throw in their way is what will make it possible for people to sacrifice their lives and limbs to vote for the parties of their choice.
Otherwise it will be the same old story of missed and messed-up chances.
It’s time the opposition leaders exhibited that they are truthfully fighting for real change for the lowest and most affected persons in society. Progressive Zimbabweans no longer want small change. A change for individuals like elected councillors, Members of Parliament and Senators, what about the rest?
The opposition focus must be first and foremost to defeat whoever will be made the Zanu PF presidential candidate.
For that to happen, they need an all-weather opposition candidate, not someone who wants to wait for a free, fair and credible election because they know that will never happen.
