OVER the past few weeks, a lot has happened which has cast grave doubts on the integrity of the forthcoming plebiscite which is likely to be just another damp squib.
Is voting worth it when it is clear the incumbent, President Emmerson Mnagagwa is determined to win at all costs, including by resorting to “lawfare”?
Rallies have been banned and candidates have had to go to court to fight for the right to be on the parliamentary or presidential ballot paper.
Zimbabweans appear powerless and have put their fate in the hands of a few — politicians and judges.
The outcome of this election will impact the lives of the voters for the next five years, which is why it is important for voters, and not the courts, to decide who will govern them.
Presidential aspirant Saviour Kasukuwere’s fate should not have been left to a few to decide.
Democracy is a government of the people, for the people and by the people, but sadly events of the past few weeks have proved otherwise.
It is common knowledge that Kasukuwere’s life does not significantly change because he has failed to run for presidency; nor will Citizens Coalition for Change leader Nelson Chamisa suffer because he has failed to win the presidency.
- Mbavara eyes to resurrect Matavire’s music legacy
- Zim exiles panic over SA permits
- Zim exiles panic over SA permits
- Social media platforms should act on hate speech
Keep Reading
The truth is, while on August 23 there will be 12 or perhaps 11, or even 10 names on the presidential ballot paper, this vote is not about those presenting themselves as candidates.
The election is about who gets to make decisions on behalf of the people on matters of importance such as healthcare, education, the economy and how Zimbabwe is perceived by the international community.
These elections affect the common person more than they affect candidates.
Therefore, it is the responsibility of all Zimbabweans to ensure that free and fair elections are held.
We all have a collective responsibility to defend our nascent democracy.
Zimbabwe needs an engaged and active citizenry if it is to develop and meet the expectations of the majority.
All citizens must take an interest and participate in shaping the destiny of the only place we call home.
An election is an opportunity to decide who gets into power and to hold those who have been put in power accountable.
It is an opportunity for the electorate to show the politicians that power resides with the people and not with them.
But this can only happen if the electorate is informed, active and engaged and rallies behind issues affecting their well-being.
There are serious divisions in the ruling party and the opposition, all based on egos and personal ambition, but not the people’s agenda. The uncomfortable truth is that nothing politicians do is genuinely for the people.
The people have power only if they are determined to use it. The power to change the future of this country is not in the next president, but in the hands of the citizens.
If we, the people, turn up in huge numbers to express our will, we can change the fortunes of our country. We collectively have the power to create a just society if we assume our duty as citizens. Our power should be used to warn politicians that we will reject a rigged election. Nation building is not about politicians or laws; it is about the will of the people. If you close all avenues of legitimate expression of the people’s will, you risk their wrath.
Blessed Mhlanga is a senior journalist at Alpha Media Holdings
