WE are now at the mid-year mark, a good a time as any to take stock.
And we take stock not only cognisant of developments that have happened but knowing that we go for another poll, like we have always done when its time, unfailingly and successfully. And we decide on our own, paying no heed to undue influence.
There’s no doubt that Zimbabweans, all the time, going to the polls, appreciate that the stakes are high and that always, victory, not just for a leader but the people of Zimbabwe, the masses, is critical.
The pre-electoral environment has never been so peaceful, it is the kind where work and action are doing the talking.
As expected, the West continues to meddle in Africa’s politics, grasping at straws. And the wind is definitely not blowing in their direction and already, before the polls, they are crying foul.
The pertinent question that the opposition should be asking is: What has made the ruling ZANU PF continue to win elections?
Without doubt, ZANU PF has been able to adapt, re-invent itself to remain relevant, acceptable and appropriate to, and for, the masses. The revolutionary Party has always had a clear, true and understandable message for the masses.
“Nyika inovakwa, nekutongwa nevene vayo.”
Is there any confusion in that message? Is that a message difficult to grasp! And it’s not just a message ringing hollow but one backed by numerous acts and works proving the mantra.
The infrastructure roll-out across the country, including the rural areas, against the odds, is there for all to see. This is what makes people want to vote for the revolutionary Party and not the opposition parties that cannot even make a clear promise or an understandable message.
The opposition has perennially given people messages centred on possessing power for the sake of power. ZANU PF’s policies always have resonated with the electorate, rich or poor.
The party’s manifesto, before and after independence, has always been people-oriented.
And the opposition parties have always conceded defeat admitting that ZANU PF always has a better message that helps it win elections.
Who will forget the acerbic Tendai Biti, in March 2014, telling a policy dialogue held at the SAPES Trust in Harare that ZANU PF’s ‘Bhora Mugedhi’ message resonated with the electorate.
“ZANU in the last election had a very simple message, ‘bhora mugedhi’,” said Biti.
“Even a little woman in Chendambuya or Dotito knew one thing, bhora mugedhi.
Perhaps we were too sophisticated, but what was our message because the message of change of 2000 is not the message for now.
We were selling hopes and dreams when ZANU PF was selling practical realities.”
And strangely, despite knowing why and how ZANU PF wins, they have never wanted to learn and emulate the good pattern.
Instead of copying ‘dhoiri rakanaka reZANU PF rinoda hupenyu hwakanaka hwevana veZimbabwe vanoda kukopa reAmerica neBritain rine hudzvanyiriri nekuda kutsikirira zvizvarwa zvevhu’.
To its credit, ZANU PF started campaigning the moment it was given another mandate by the people to rule. In the last five years, significant strides have been made to improve on the quality of health services and in the areas of infrastructure development, disease control and in curbing maternal and child deaths as well as HIV and AIDS.
In the last five years, the ruling Party has scored unprecedented achievements in education, with many life-saving innovations coming from that sector, especially in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Second Republic has since injected over 300MW into the national grid at a time the Southern African region is gripped by power shortages — and more will be added soon.
There is so much to do.
Let’s allow serious players to do it.
