In Zimbabwe, the bleak reality of political violence orchestrated by ZANU PF to stifle opposition voices is a tale as old as time. Although the means employed are contemptible, statistics reveal a stark advantage in favour of those who resort to violence. According to a study by Collier & Hoeffler in 2009, politicians engaging in violence and other illicit practices such as abduction are three times more likely to retain office compared to their clean counterparts.
The recent abduction of Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) party members sheds light on the bias of the Police, Soldiers and Secret Services Agency (CIO). The denial by police for CCC to stage a rally is viewed as an electoral ploy to diminish opposition voter turnout, while keeping the turnout for ZANU PF unaffected. As Zimbabwe gears up for another election, the health and sanity of its democratic space are under severe scrutiny. Instead of fostering participation, the political arena is marred by hostility, threats, and manoeuvres designed to influence vote choice and deter political gatherings.
Nelson Chamisa, the stalwart opposition leader, exudes confidence akin to the rising morning sun during public addresses. However, beneath the surface lurk uncertainties over his promises to grant Zimbabweans a second independence. The opposition found itself denied space in Marondera, while supporters faced brutal assaults in Gokwe. Moreover, a rally in Binga was cancelled due to purported lack of police manpower, stemming from President E. Mnangagwa’s visit on the 17th, overshadowing the CCC’s rally scheduled on the 15th.
The harrowing demise of Max Dutuma, a former CCC candidate for Ward 26, Highfield West, after a ghastly hijacking by ZANU PF thugs, manifests a chilling assault on Zimbabwe’s Constitutionality and Political Democracy. The global theme of Youth Political Participation, embraced even by President Mnangagwa through the National Development Strategy (NDS), is trampled upon when promising political minds are exterminated due to differing political stances. This raises a dire question: how long will nationalist leaders ravage the democratic fabric to centralise power, enthralling the youth with narcotics and perpetuating the cycle of poverty, purportedly a western-induced plight?
The lingering African curse of political stagnation while development strides forward elsewhere, resonates in the murky waters of Zimbabwe’s political landscape. The hard and dirty politics of bloodshed to quash competition is a cold-war era relic, while leading nations have transitioned to smart politics, fostering a competition of ideas for effective representation. In Zimbabwe, infrastructural and socio-economic issues like road construction, food aid, and employment are entangled in political symbolism rather than meritocracy. These are the poignant issues CCC seeks to address, aiming to resonate with every Zimbabwean before ZANU PF attempts to rig the electoral system yet again.
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