OUT of the many lessons that can be drawn from the recently held by-elections, one that stands out is that, what builds and binds us, as a country, is far much bigger than that which divides us.

It is always important to keep in mind the fact that elections in this country are not only a contest between the ruling Party and the opposition; they are an energy-sapping entanglement between Harare and its numerous adversaries who, despite logic and past experience compelling them to change tack, never tires of openly backing the out-of-sorts opposition parties in their numbers.

We learn from these elections, as progressive minds have graciously done in the past, that while elections always come and go, it is almost always incumbent on both victors and losers to do a serious introspection of their fortunes and misfortunes in the preceding period with the country’s prosperity in mind.

That is the burden that ZANU PF carries for, and on behalf of, all Zimbabweans including the malicious opposition, both in the country and outside.

One way or the other, ZANU PF has the mandate to carry the nation’s hopes, to nurse the self-inflicted wounds of the opposition and crucially to contend with the perpetually intrusive hand of the opposition’s handlers while at the same serving the expectant masses.

We learn that the country is bigger than individuals and that it comes well ahead of all the political bickering, the frenetic canvasing for votes as well as the sometimes ridiculous besmirching of opponents during election period, which is by the way an event that comes and goes with the same speed, mode and deportment.

Still, the country stands tall and demanding to be served.

It stands at a relatively safe distance from strains of relentless election events, clamouring for the attention it sorely deserves from citizens regardless of their political affiliation.

The country has to move forward, it has to unite and to develop.

Then from where we were prior to the polls, we quickly dust up ourselves and forge ahead, seeking to fulfill all items on the development agenda and taking the country forward.

Again, that burden is thrust on the shoulders of ZANU PF.

In the aftermath of those elections, ZANU PF finds itself battling to unite the country and consolidating the gains of its policies.

Unfortunately that has not been the case for Zimbabwe where our noisy opposition is gripped by a disturbing hankering to keep the country in a perpetual election mode.

They will make all sorts of noises, most of them hollow but all too familiar, trying to bring the country to a standstill, and hoping that their larks will somehow gain traction with a populace that has embraced prosperity over provocative posturing.

This is not withstanding the fact that the results of those polls would have told a certain narrative that feeds into the expectations of those of a progressive disposition.

The result of these antics by the opposition has a similar pattern.

They will make all the noise they can, but the country would have moved on, its hands firmly on the developmental deck.

It is, of course, not difficult to unravel the supposedly mysterious, ‘powerful’ hand behind that infantile posturing and manoeuvring.

We cannot continue to be dragged through the mud by an opposition that has yet to embrace the meaning of nationalism and, as we indicated recently, a sense of belonging.

They are playing to the gallery; going all out to please their Western handlers who demand nothing short of victory over the supercharged ZANU PF.

Significantly, the voter has taught them bitter lessons; that they cannot harangue the country in order for them to please their Western handlers.

Time and again, the message has been profound, it has been resounding.

This country is not about to fall into the hands of a meddlesome West that has failed to clean the stinking mess in its own backyard.

The March 26 2022 by-elections once again proved beyond any reasonable doubt that Zimbabwe is indeed a mature democracy.

The stellar campaign period, dented by the usual baloney from the bruised opposition, a slight aberration to what was once again a peaceful campaign and voting attests to this ubiquitous fact. 

We will, without doubt, be subjected to unproven rigging claims by Chamisa’s CCC.

They will go to the 2023 elections, which our sources say they now want to boycott in order to save their faces from what will surely be an embarrassing defeat, with the usual legitimacy issue.

We will not tire from giving them sobering lessons.

Legitimacy is drawn from the voters, it is as simple as that.

Legitimacy is drawn from the aspirations of the masses who buttress that pervasive lesson of our life through the ballot and certainly not through noise on social media and via Western embassies.

We are aware that CCC activists, like Ostallos Siziba, that party’s deputy spokesperson, have been taking lessons on post-election destabilisation activities at the US Embassy in Harare.

The time to put to an end that nonsense is coming.

We are aware that CCC officials have been making frantic efforts, behind the scenes, to have dialogue with President Emmerson Mnangagwa in order to stop the 2023 harmonised elections.

That is not going to happen.

Those elections are coming and they will bury the noisy opposition once and for all.

Let those with ears listen.