IT is not far from the truth that the will of the people has been suppressed in the last four decades in which Zanu PF, under Robert Mugabe, ruled the country heavy-handedly.
By Learnmore Zuze
From the day which Joshua Nkomo, affectionately known as “Father Zimbabwe” contested Zanu PF, it has always remained doubtful whether elections in Zimbabwe truly reflected the will of the masses. Robert Mugabe, now deposed from power, was a master of terror. During his reign, “State-sponsored terror” became a common phrase in political circles.
Indeed, terror on defenceless citizens was a common occurrence. Who would forget the cruelty perpetrated on people by the late Chenjerai “Hitler” Hunzvi? Who would forget the “short sleeves” and “long sleeves” in the June 2008 run off after Mugabe had lost to Morgan Tsvangirai? Even going back to the 1980s, in his book, The Story of My Life, Joshua Nkomo wrote, in reference to Zanu PF, “… a party which won the election through dubious means”.
The suspicion against Zanu PF has endured throughout the ages; the will of the people of Zimbabwe has never been fully expressed in the absence of terror. In fact, it remains a massive victory to the spirit of Zimbabweans in 2008 when, in unison, they stood their ground and voted out Mugabe despite his well-oiled rigging machinery.
There has never been an election in which blood was not spilled as Zanu PF sought to consolidate power at all costs.
Many died under cruel circumstances; others disappeared without trace.
Their only crime was to stand up and express a different opinion from that of Mugabe and his cronies.
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Most of us have maintained boldness in the face of anonymous threats for daring stand for the truth. The will of the people has been like the proverbial orphaned child, whose will is never given a chance.
The psychological trauma visited upon people by Zanu PF in years gone by is deeply etched in people’s minds, especially the elderly. Even to this day, some among the aged believe that the old party has a way of knowing what happens in the ballot.
It is, therefore, an open secret that no election time has ever been free of Mugabe’s ghost. The rigging, long claimed by those in the opposition, has been, at times subtle and sometimes as blatant as seen by the voters roll having names of people who died years ago.
Election time in Zimbabwe, in the past, has always been dominated by two names namely, Tsvangirai (late) and Mugabe.
Both men will no longer be present in the watershed election in five days’ time. It was inconceivable that a presidential election would happen in the absence of the two colossal figures of Zimbabwean politics.
For the first time, a Zanu PF without Mugabe squares off with an MDC without Tsvangirai. It naturally follows that justice and the will of the Zimbabwean people must be served at last.
Zimbabweans deserve a rule of the people by people. I do not write to prop up either of the main contenders in the presidential election, but write that the desires and the yearnings of the people of Zimbabwe be recognised.
Zimbabweans have suffered oppression for a long time. I write that if there be anyone or some force bent on sabotaging or subduing the will of the people, may it not overcome.
This country has an over 50% adult population that has never known what it means to work in formal employment. It is a country teeming with vendors. Zimbabwe has vast talent scattered across the globe doing service for other nations.
It is common cause that this sad state of affairs must now come to an end.
We are not tickled, as Zimbabweans, that we are ridiculed and known for menial jobs in other countries. We are ashamed of our so called high literacy rate in Africa when we have nothing to show for it.
It is a prick on our conscience that we are a country without national pride for we have no currency of our own and we have many pricing systems for our goods. I could write an erudite volume on all the shameful problems bedeviling Zimbabwe because of poor governance. It is never the will of Zimbabweans to be derided by the whole world.
It is for this cause that I have written from the depth of the heart that the true will of the people of Zimbabwe must now find expression and a curse must be pronounced on that person or force that will work to try and stifle the will of the people of Zimbabwe.
May Zimbabweans be the ultimate winners in the presidential election.
Learnmore Zuze is a law officer and writes in his own capacity. E-mail [email protected]
