Escape route begins with registering to vote

By Davison Muchadenyika

Throughout history, across the world, the issue of voting has resulted in revolutions. The revolutions differ in magnitude, scope and impact. New regimes have been ushered in through voting, with voters either regretting or celebrating their choices thereafter.

Authoritarian regimes also collapsed through voting. One thing is very clear – voting is an indispensable human right, which should not be tempered with. No man should manipulate another man’s vote.

Africa is a testament of the manipulation of voters’ choices. However, the evident result has been instability, crisis and at the extremes war. Kenya and Cote d’lvoire are fresh examples we have witnessed of late. However, the former has since transformed itself from violence to peaceful voting procedures.

Flipping South African newspapers and watching electronic media, is pulsating as it’s now usual to find one or two stories involving Zimbabweans. Xenophobia has taken many innocent souls who have joined the ‘great trek’ down south in search of livelihoods.

It’s not a secret that, our government has failed citizens. Even the inclusive government continue to deliver unexpected results. Across borders; even Zimbabwean students in South Africa, misery and discomfort define their student life.

Getting into a train, bus, food court, supermarket or walking in streets of furthest towns such as Cape Town, you find Zimbabweans conversing in Shona time and again.

Unexpectedly in a flight from Johannesburg to Frankfurt; I had a conversation with a passenger I was sharing a seat with, only to discover that the lady grew up in Gokwe. She relocated to Germany at the height of the crisis back home.

Such is when a country has no leadership that respects, values and fulfils the needs and demands of its citizens.

Emotional vote

The next election requires an emotional vote. A vote in which we should not be shy about shaping our future and destiny. It is a vote that we should keep our minds afresh about the chances and consequences of a slide back.

It is a vote in which conditions we experienced in 2007 and 2008 can come back again. Lest we forget! The empty shelves in supermarkets, the queues for bread, cooking oil, sugar and even salt can resurface again. Let’s forgive but not forget those who caused the calamities in our lives.

The breweries of the crises and misery in our lives are still around. They will repackage their campaign. They will rebrand and re-advertise themselves. One thing to remember ‘nyoka inyoka’ (a snake is a snake).

Campaigns are being oiled with new strategies and new themes. But, if we give them another chance, then we are all in a quandary. Political theory tells us that political parties perform better with competition. Thus, let’s build a culture of rotating ruling parties.

Restoration of hope

Two things are certain and undeniable about Zimbabweans – we are hard workers in whatever we engage in. We have also produced some of the worst, corrupt and uncaring politicians over the past two decades.

Currently, our human capital is helping and working for the building and progression of other economies in Africa and overseas.

It’s regrettable when, our very own country is portraying civilization in reverse. Graduates from the universities; planners, engineers, surveyors, economists, sociologists, you name it are grappled with teaching in schools.

Some can’t even secure the teaching posts! How can that be? What kind of a society are we creating? For a few who have joined government, they are constantly frustrated as they are bound to follow some political party dictates.

Fellow Zimbabweans; young people in particular, we are the present and future of the country. I don’t need to over-emphasise the challenges we are facing day and night. I however, have to over-emphasise on the escape route.

The escape route begins with registering to vote. It passes through voting for hope and a better Zimbabwe in the next election. Moreover, the destination of the escape route resides in bringing the government to account and active citizenship in all matters that affect our lives.

The benefits of participation over non participation in the next election are tremendous. Chances of sliding back are evident, what is less clear is the magnitude and extent of the consequential damages to the country. Our action and in-actions are critical in ushering a prosperous and peaceful Zimbabwe.

The writer is a development planner pursuing postgraduate studies in Germany and can be contacted at [email protected]. The article first appeared in the Daily News.