Confronting evil amid talk of early election
By Moses Chamboko
While it is not clear as to when exactly the next election will be held, what is certain is that ZANU PF has already revamped its patronage and violence machinery, the only tool in their box, which is an embodiment of the party’s traditional preparation for elections.
Cognisant of the reality that winning a fair and free election under the sun is now impossibility, the reclusive and moribund but callous party has literally galvanized all its instruments of violence, lawlessness, murder and electoral fraud as events on the ground would show.
Adding yet another perilous dimension to this matrix is the serious oiling of the patronage system which is now seemingly spearheaded by shameless professor and political chameleon, Jonathan Moyo.
Recent announcements in quick succession by retired soldiers and former office-bearers Daniel Shumba and Kudzai Mbudzi that they were rejoining the violent party, must be viewed in this context.
Knowing that these are desperate men who cannot survive on their own for too long outside the patronage system, ZANU PF has extended an olive branch to these three amongst many others ostensibly to use them during the coming elections.
What’s also interesting is that all of the failed Tsholotsho coup plotters are now literally back in the fold. To demonstrate that they have repented and be guaranteed continuity of sustenance, they will have to oblige to be deployed in whatever capacity that will guarantee ZANU PF some semblance of victory at the next election.
While violent persuasions of some of these men may not be publicly known, it is not a secret that Jonathan Moyo is a real devil that will stop at nothing in pursuit of power and self-aggrandisement. Being the political God-father of the Tsholotsho returnees, the nation should brace itself for a real fight as we go into the next election.
I may be wrong but something tells me that even the just demoted rocket scientist may soon be enticed to this group. Recent utterances by Jonathan Moyo following Mutambara’s prodigious downfall suggest that he will be received with open arms should he choose to cross the slimy floor.
As we saw in 2000 after the watershed referendum from which ZANU PF has never fully recovered (and never will), the party shall do anything to try and hang on to power, even if it means for “another day or two” – to borrow from a professor who would be happy to be Deputy Prime Minister for even an hour for as long as he has the opportunity to drink tea with Gushungo, this is the measure of success by some of our leaders, what a pity!!!!
In its quest to cling to power by any means, ZANU PF will be employing every tactic in the book particularly in the coming weeks and months. A multi-faceted approach is already unfolding where MDC structures across the country are already under siege, the plan being to ensure they will be obliterated or at least terribly weakened by the time the official campaign is rolled out.
Another strategy is to frustrate and disappoint MDC into ultimately turning its back on the GNU which will be a pretext for calling early elections on ZANU PF terms and conditions. The result is too ghastly to contemplate.
The question on top of people’s mind seems to be “so what are the options given this scenario?” While there is no easy answer, the fact of the matter is that Zimbabweans in general and MDC in particular, must remain focused and resolute on the monumental task before us. The nation must pull together in confronting the iniquity of ZANU PF misrule that we have endured over the last three decades.
In the coming weeks and months, let everyone play their part even in the smallest way. Let us all continue to educate our kith and kin and everybody around us on the need to register to vote and turn up to the ballot in formidable numbers. Let us quietly but effectively penetrate all those areas perceived to be no-go areas and impress upon the people the need to bury injustice once and for all.
During the war, there was the mantra, “Iwe neni tine basa” Let us do some introspection today and ask “what am I doing as an individual to contribute to the total freedom of Zimbabwe?” Yes, we have been free of colonial bondage for three decades, but have we tested real freedom in all that time?
Certainly not, this is not just an MDC project, it is a national responsibility. Zimbabwe deserves better. The writer Moses Chamboko can be contacted on [email protected]
