As Saturday’s election draws closer I’ve been reflecting on our individual and collective disempowerment as Zimbabwean citizens. Take the issue of political posters for example. All over the city private businesses like fuel stations,cafes and office blocks have had (predominantly) Zanu PF posters pasted on their walls. Ordinary home owners have also experienced this. Instead of ripping these posters down and asserting their right to keep their private property free of politricking (if they so wish) Zimbabweans cower and refuse to stand up to Mugabe’s regime. I can’t imagine that many South Africans would tolerate the image of shower-head Zuma on their private property without their consent.

And then there are the taxi and bus drivers who bow to the military and the police demands for free travel on public transport.

And long queues of long suffering Zimbabweans wait patiently in line for cash while allowing men in uniform to bully their way to the front so that they get first dibs at the little cash thats available.

What will it take to end this? What will it take for Zimbabweans to demand equality and justice?

If, and that’s a big IF, there’s a change of political leadership in Zimbabwe, we need more than cosmetic political change. Tsvangirai’s campaign message has been “Morgan is More“. But we need more than Morgan; we need each and everyone of us to confront our lack of courage in keeping our politicians and civic leaders accountable. We need to stop relinquishing our power and outsourcing our social and political responsibilities.

Zimbabwe’s rehabilitation requires far more than a X on election day. It requires a change of behaviour, and a change of heart. And the maturity to demand More from ourselves as active and aware citizens.

Zimbabweans,
your future is In your hands.

What is in your pocket right now?
How many bearers are in your wallet?
Why are you not having your favorite food?

Your future is in your hands!
How much do you have in your savings account?
How do you get home after work?

Your future is in your hands!
Is your fuel-gauge working or
is your tank running empty?

Your future is in your hands!
Zimbabwe is yours forever,
it’s You who make it shine.

Your future is in your hands!
Why are you not smiling?
What’s in your refrigerator?
Why are you so low and not active?
Why are your children not at school?
Why are you not paying your rentals, fees, bills in time?

Just wake up . . .
And go to the nearest polling station in your ward and
X Vote!

The good news is that one of the regime’s water canons has broken down on Samora Machel Avenue.

The bad news is their fighter planes are buzzing Mutare.

I’ve just received this message from a student . . .

Some jet fighters are flying so low here in Mutare. Do you have any idea what is going on? We are so frightened.

As we approach Zimbabwe’s 29 March elections Phillip Pasirayi poses some fundamental questions:

“You can vote for them [MDC] but that will be a wasted vote. You will be cheating yourself as there is no way we can allow them to rule this country. The MDC will not rule this country. It will never ever happen.”
- President Robert Mugabe, March 2008

We will be naive to still think that the impending Saturday election in Zimbabwe will be free and fair and in conformity with the SADC Guidelines governing democratic elections to which Zimbabwe is a State Party. The above epigraph from the octogenarian Mugabe means that the election is already fixed and that Mugabe’s surrogates at the so-called National Command Centre will announce Mugabe as the winner. It is time that pro-democracy and civic groups start preparing for civil disobedience and demand the restoration of their vote. The civic movement must increase pressure that will make it difficult for Mugabe to govern and prepare the ground for referral of the Zimbabwe case to the UN Security Council. Already the humanitarian catastrophe in Zimbabwe warrants Zimbabwe’s referral to the UN and this flawed election presents a unique opportunity that must act as a precipitant for UN intervention.

Zimbabweans have been through a number of rigged elections and stolen votes. Each time we’ve seen a complete lack of leadership from the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) when the results have been announced.

Will the MDC’s response to this election be any different?

Zimbabweans are being wooed with unromantic messages. This one says I fought the war and was imprisoned for it so vote for me. The other says, I was beaten up by my liberators and I have also been arrested repeatedly so vote for me. If this is the criteria to elect our leaders then surely all the people who fought the war and all the activists and politicians who have been arrested must stand for President? Why do African leaders like to do the “I died for this country” bit as the reason why they should be elected?

In 1980, emotionally we voted for an avowed Marxist-Leninist who straight away proceeded to do his best to create a one party state. The consequences are evident in every household right across the country today. From 2000 onward, we emotionally voted for a former trade unionist who failed us miserably in strategy, acumen and more importantly democracy within his own party.

Here we are again on the threshold of another crucial vote. After all that we have been through, it is time to drop the emotional rationale and revert to the logical rationale we have been applying in our day to day lives in post independence Zimbabwe. This is not the time to be voting for people who think you owe them because they were imprisoned or beaten up for participating in the fight against oppression. That comes with the territory! A soldier cannot go to war and then complain that the others were shooting back!

This is a common sense election. What the country needs is a good manager with the right credentials to attract the right investors, to manage the right negotiations for the right deals that are in the best interests of the country. Chiluba came in to power in Zambia and sold the country off to the highest bidder who went on to plunder the natural resources of the country and leave the Zambian behind! Mugabe has done the same with his Libyan and Chinese deals. Tsvangirai does not have the wherewithall to manage a decent deal and that is why Ben Menashe nearly took him to the cleaners.

That leaves Simba Makoni as the most suitable common sense manager for this country backed by the likes of Nkosana Moyo who are seasoned administrators. It is time for common sense to prevail and for Zimbabwe to reclaim a respectable place in the league of nations.

Utterances and statements emerging from Zimbabwe’s uniformed forces, starting with Rt Major General Paradzayi Zimondi, Head of Prisons, to the effect that they will not accept or salute either opposition Movement for Democratic Change Presidential candidate Morgan Tsvangirai or Independent and former ruling party minister Simba Makoni (should they win the Presidential election on 29 March) cannot go unchallenged. Police Commissioner-General Augustine Chihuri and Army General Constantine Chiwenga are also on record saying they will not accept Robert Mugabe losing to what they derisively termed ‘puppets’. There is no room for such misguided utterances in Zimbabwe; these men of uniform must resign with immediate effect.

Zimbabweans will not be held to ransom by a bunch of men who should know that it is highly unprofessional for the army, police and prisons to delve in political matters or to attempt to influence the vote by spreading fear, alarm and despondency. Political engagement and discourse is for civilians and civilians alone, it is a fundamental right of the people of Zimbabwe to determine through the ballot who they wish to lead them; the uniformed forces must be reminded that this is none of their business. The uniformed forces belong to the people of Zimbabwe and have an obligation to respect democratic political processes and must swear allegiance to whomsoever Zimbabweans chose as leader.

It must be stated clearly that it is treasonous and shameful for the leadership of uniformed forces to issue such irresponsible statements threatening to return to war if President Mugabe loses elections; it is shameful for government of Zimbabwe to remain silent and not condemn outright such utterances; worst of all, it is shameful and unacceptable that SADC and international community should remain silent in the face of these treasonous statements which are obviously meant to sway and compel voters to vote for a value system that is unmarketable and can only be forced down the throats of the masses. Effectively, Chihuri, Chiwenga and Zimondi have become Zanu PF campaign agents, poor ones at that, as they only know the language of threats. It is very strange that, in the face of all these unconstitutional, frivolous and inflammatory utterances, South African President Thabo Mbeki still has the audacity to express hope that Zimbabwe elections will be free and fair. One wonders what benchmarks Mbeki is applying to elections in Zimbabwe; they are certainly not the SADC guidelines, standards and norms for the conduct of free and fair elections.

How can elections in Zimbabwe be possibly be credible, free and fair when the electorate is threatened with war should they vote out Mugabe? Enough is enough, we cannot accept mortgaging Zimbabwe’s future to a few cronies who selfishly cling to the past and are keen to destroy Zimbabwe for selfish personal interests. In a new Zimbabwe there will be no place for unqualified and unprofessional people in our uniformed forces, people will hold office on the basis of merit and merit alone, so let beneficiaries of political patronage beware.

This old guard in army, police and prisons must know that it is now time for professional uniformed forces who are not in any way part of political formations and that should either Morgan Tsvangirai or Simba Makoni win in the coming elections, if they do not wish to salute they must simply resign and go home. Already they have outlived their usefulness in these institutions and must be replaced in order to take our uniformed forces back to values of impartiality, patriotism, professionalism and allegiance to Zimbabwe’s constitutional values. Chihuri, Chiwenga and Zimondi cannot masquerade as kingmakers and godfathers of Zimbabwean politics, they must confine themselves to their terms of engagement which categorically exclude meddling in political affairs of the country.

The rank and file in the army, police and prisons must also reject these patently partisan and unprofessional utterances and be patriotic enough to resist illegal orders to vote for Mugabe. Soldiers, Police officers and prison officers have a right to vote, their vote must be a secret and a personal choice and not an order from anyone. I am hopeful and positive that the views expressed by these cronies are views of a tiny minority in Zimbabwe and do not reflect the views of masses inside and outside uniformed forces who love peace and democracy and are equally fed up with a diet of starvation and rantings of little men allergic to democracy and good governance. As a patriotic Zimbabwean, it is my sincere hope and trust, and my prayer that sense will prevail over madness.

I thought I never had any opinion of Dr Simba Makoni until I had the opportunity to watch an exclusive interview he gave to South Africa’s E.TV 3rd Degree show. Although I know a lot of Zimbabweans neither had privilege or opportunity to watch it, I know it would have really cleared the air for those who are not so sure whether to vote for him or not. I must say, that even after Debra Patta’s infamous 30 minutes of hard-hitting, straight-forward confrontation, I felt I knew Dr Makoni much less.

The man just wouldn’t be engaged, constantly evading questions with obscure answers and responses like, “Don’t put words into my mouth”. Or “You are best asking so-and-so that question,” etc. Asked what he thought of Morgan Tsvangirai for President he initially had nothing to say but later described him as a patriot who was simply standing up for what he believes in.

Asked what his opinion of Mugabe was – considering the history of Gukurahundi – and what he would do about him if he became President, Makoni retorted that he respected Mugabe as a leader and for what he achieved, and concerning the Gukurahundi atrocities, he would welcome some evidence concerning that matter. Hello? Was this guy on the moon? What a denialist and, how so deeply insulting. One must keep in mind that this guy is also ready to give Mugabe amnesty. He also claims to not have heard about the army chief saying they will not support or salute any other candidate save for Mugabe. Man …

Asked what he made of the criticism leveled against him and how he felt towards Mugabe for “leading Zimbabwe into its economic decline where inflation is soaring and people are starving”, he told the interviewer he felt “sad” for Mugabe and had no ill feelings towards him. Not that one expected him to engage in the diatribe of mudslinging and name calling now characteristic of Zanu PF, but eish, his complacency really smacks of a boot licker with so much Zanu PF blood running thick in him. Or probably he is just a true gentleman. Go figure.

Here are some of the questions that kept burning in my head after the show – why does this guy sound so apologetic? Why is he so prepared to grant amnesty to President Mugabe? And for crying in a bucket, what does he mean when he says he doesn’t stand against Mugabe but rather, stands for something else? What is the difference anyway?

Many people have, from the beginning, been convinced that Makoni was just a ‘stalking horse’ for Mugabe. Many hypotheses and theories around his candidature have been flying around. Above all, it is undeniable that voter registration did increase significantly following his announcement. But if this guy is raising the hopes of many Zimbabweans under false pretenses, I feel sad for him, to use his words. If you want more insight and probably something to help you decide how you are going to vote on March 29, visit the full transcript of Makoni’s interview here. Personally, I’m not sure what to think anymore.

And as a matter of interest, TV SA is currently running a forum where people echo their sentiments concerning the Makoni interview. You can view it here. I must say I was captivated by one who wrote:

“I must say thanks to 3rd degree for working hard at discouraging the people of Zimbabwe from voting now RGM can surely walk his way to victory. We would even vote for a monkey if it contested in the election where ever it comes from. Do you know most people were not going to vote were it not for Simba – people now believed there could be a way out but well there’s always big mouthed journalists who have to go and cast doubts on people’s mind. Obviously Miss Reporter you have a boss and am sure he makes some decisions against your word of advice – so should we hold that against you. Why then would you hold it against Simba. We are tired of these speculations we just want to change even if it’s from within.”

* A stalking horse is a candidate put forward to mask the candidacy of another person, for whom the stalking horse will then withdraw.