Of elections, media space, donors and mental slavery

By Tendai Mazenge

Zimbabwe is a small country with a small population of about 15 million people, most of whom are youth, young, vibrant and energetic, but with no employment.

It’s a peaceful country compared to her sister nations in Southern Africa. However the major challenge that poses a great threat to the peace and stability in the country has been a result of elections and political tension, where a few irresponsible politicians often make reckless statements on radios and rallies in an attempt to incite tension among supporters of various political parties.

In every election Zanu PF increasingly spread fear and panic across the nation. In Zimbabwe it’s only when it’s election time that almost everyone is worried about peace. The entire election is indeed a threat to our national security.

At the moment there appears to be some sort of thick clouds hanging over the country as a few selfish politicians could jeopardise the much needed grand coalition outcome.

Unlike in other African countries where electoral disputes have resulted in serious conflicts and civil wars that have left thousands dead, the majority of Zimbabweans have always demonstrated their
political maturity during previous elections despite Zanu PF rigging and intimidating voters.

In 2018 many people are going to vote for their preferred candidates but their votes will not be based on important issues but rather on political inclinations. They don’t look at the ability of their candidate to deliver but loyalty to their parties.

Whether the candidate have realistic and achievable vision or not is not the issue that matters. As long as majority of Zimbabweans continue to vote like this way,there will never be a real change in
the country’s political landscape. The candidate’s inability to deliver on campaign promises do not count. It is a matter of contesting and winning the elections with or without a vision.

This is indeed a dangerous development in Zimbabwe political future, no wonder we are still under developed 37 years after independence. Civil servants are only remembered only during campaign periods. During campaign periods many of the politicians often travel abroad on a fundraising tour.

Usually it is at this period that they sign all those bogus agreements with their donors, promising in return to sell state assets to these private investors. Don’t forget that donors are business investors. When they agree to sponsor the African politician with huge sums of money, they demand in return that once they win elections, they should sell off some of the state owned institutions or assets to them for them to recover their expenses.

Anti corruption campaigners are also stressing the need for the youth to rise and fight corruption at every level, in the educational institutions, the banking sector and mining sector among others.
Religious leaders are also urging congregants not only to pray and fast for peace and unity but also to help fight corruption and hold government accountable to effectively managing the country’s wealth.

While the rate of unemployment has forced the youth to engage in all sorts of crimes and social vices like armed robbery, drugs, prostitution etc for survival, unfortunately the lives of politicians continue to improve with fat salaries, luxurious accommodation, expensive cars etc.

The condition of the ordinary voter who took the politician on trust and voted in his favour, have not improved. The youths are tired of repeated failed promises of the politicians. Some are calling for the entire country to boycott elections.

Though this action may not lead to a complete boycott of the elections, it is however expected that such a move will help put pressure on the politicians to understand that the people are gradually waking up and sooner or later they can no longer be taken for granted.

It is also important for opposition political parties to have access to state media but in Zimbabwe it’s not happening. An independent media is a means of holding officials to account and also plays a part
in limiting corruption and making sure government is responsive to the people.

It helps politicians to act better. Journalists have a responsibility to to seek out and print the views of both sides then make sure everyone has access to the media. In politics transparency is important, access to media and allowing a pluralism of media to occur is of fundamental importance.

The opposition in Zimbabwe is being denied access to media on state television and radio but they
are quiet and not doing anything about it. It is a shame to our current African leaders that after all these years after independence, unity after unity, Africa still remains divided than ever.

Today even though many falsely believe that kind of barbaric slavery is over, mental slavery which is rather more dangerous than the previous one is currently staring at us in the face. Africans must be told the truth. Colonialism did not end some 50 or so years ago. Slavery is not yet over either.

We’re are still trapped mentally, physically, emotionally, spiritually, socially, culturally, academically and technologically. That is why the great Pan Africanist Patrice Lumumba acknowledged many years ago that indeed the liberation of the mind of the African people (the war on mental slavery) shall even be a tougher battle than eradication of settler or colonial regimes. How correct he was.

Unlike slavery in the colonial era, our forefathers knew for sure that they were in slavery. They also understood that they were living under colonial rule. By understanding their problems they were able to work out a solution. This explains why they were able to chase the colonial regimes from power at some point. Unfortunately because today’s slavery is a mind set, many Africans do not even realise that they are still under the yoke of modern slavery.

This is what makes it very dangerous, When one has a problem but doesn’t realise it. How can one think of a solution when he or she doesn’t even know there is a problem. More dangerous is the fact that our politicians themselves do not realise that we are still under colonial rule.

We have many puppet governments in place, most of which are directed and controlled from abroad. All political decisions are made by the World Bank and IMF and imposed on our governments for implementation. I have for the past few months been lamenting about the gradual collapse of Zimbabwean industries as we continue to import elsewhere mainly China and South Africa .

Isn’t it a shame that some African women are being manipulated by modern fashion to the point where they walk the streets almost naked yet they don’t realise it.

The questions still remain the same. When will modern African women manage to free herself from mental slavery? When will the majority of African consumers free themselves from mental slavery? When will our politicians and African leaders free themselves from mental slavery?

When will Africans understand that none but ourselves can free our minds. It is important for us to understand all these realities because to understand the problem is half the solution. I therefore
encourage all Africans to join the campaign to free our minds from mental slavery so that we can be in a position to control our own destinies in the near future.

We must continue with this campaign to successfully unlock the minds of our people for the freedom of the whole African continent. Divide and conquer has always been the strategy the colonial masters often use to destroy us. It’s happening right now in Zimbabwe.

It is wonderful for a people to live together in harmony regardless of political affiliations, yet why can’t it be so. We are Fighting among ourselves in a bid to please a politician. We are fighting for individual interests.

Why must African people allow minor issues such as religion and political parties to make them kill themselves. Instead of unity we are busying ourselves with how we can oppress one another for selfish gains. We shamelessly intimidate our own brothers and restrict their freedoms on their own motherland.

Let’s start by uniting and vote Zanu PF out in 2018.

Let’s register to vote and definitely another Zimbabwe is Possible.

Tendai Mazenge is the PDP Secretary for Policy – Harare Province. He can be reached on [email protected]