ATTEMPTS by the Rhodesians to stop ZANU (PF) from forming the first genuine majority Government in 1980, following the Lancaster House Agreement, ended in ignominious failure.
The trouble with our Western colonisers and their cousins is their conviction they can force Africans to think like them.
In the case of Zimbabwe’s 1980 general election, Rhodesians were convinced the black electorate would reject ZANU (PF) because to them, they were ‘Marxist terrorists’, whatever that means.
A number of permutations they conjured up on the election outcome saw ZANU (PF) badly mauled.
They even had the luxury of imagining Cde Joshua Nkomo, a Patriotic Front ally, forming a coalition Government with Ian Smith and Bishop Abel Muzorewa, just to keep Cde Robert Mugabe in the cold.
They had a number of strategies to keep out Cde Mugabe.
The role given to the Rhodesian Security Forces by the British Governor, Lord Soames, gave them an opportunity to interfere with the election campaign.
Some stage-managed acts of terrorism, like the bombing of the magazine publication, MOTO’s offices and the gunning down of UANC members from a wedding party were meant to present the freedom fighters as heartless butchers.
This was the same tactic used by the Selous Scouts when they murdered innocent civilians and left behind evidence that would implicate the guerillas.
When these reports reached the Governor, he was pressured by the Rhodesians to stop liberation parties, especially ZANU (PF), from participating in the general election.
To them, this was the surest way to make certain Cde Mugabe would not be part of the new Government.
They failed.
Accusations of intimidation by ZANU (PF) had negative impact on the campaign strategy of the liberation party as some of its supporters were arrested.
Add to that, the confiscation of some of their campaign materials and the banning of their original logo on the ballot papers, an image of an AK47 rifle the povo easily associated with their liberation party, were unjustified.
And one can see how determined the system was to disrupt the ZANU (PF) campaign strategy.
On the other hand, Bishop Muzorewa’s UANC was given preferential treatment, even being allowed to host its campaign audience over night.
Other methods of trying to stop Cde Mugabe and his ZANU (PF) party were satanic.
They realised that once Cde Mugabe stood for elections, with the way some observers were pointing out, he could come out with a substantial majority.
The only way to stop this was to assassinate him, so they thought.
Several attempts were made but without success.
The doomed Operation Quartz, which was meant to wipe out Cdes Mugabe, Muzenda, Mujuru and their commanders, among other ZANU (PF) leaders, shows the extent to which Rhodesians were determined to block ZANU (PF) from taking over Government.
No wonder ZANU (PF), with its experience of dealing with the enemy, never trusted the sincerity of the Rhodesians in signing a ceasefire agreement.
That is why they deliberately left some of their best trained cadres out of the Assembly Points.
No doubt the Rhodesians were aware of this and this must be one of the reasons they did not venture into more mischief.
The overwhelming victory by ZANU (PF), despite all this, should have been a lesson to our colonisers that Zimbabweans know what they want.
Attempts to make Zimbabweans vote according to the wishes of our colonisers have been proved over time that they can’t succeed.
As Zimbabwe moves closer to the 2018 general elections, regime change proponents must accept that their wishes might not be met.
It has happened before.
It will happen again.