By Tawanda Chenana
WE, in the village, have inspected and verified our names on the voters’ roll.
They are present, correctly spelt and we are raring to go to the ballot.
We cannot wait to cast our vote because, as concisely put across by President Emmerson Mnangagwa: “We will never tire of reminding the world that our elections are a facet of our hard-won democracy and thus an institution exclusively reserved for us as Zimbabweans to shape, to participate in and, in the final analysis, to enjoy and judge. Any and all changes we seek legislatively; changes which we provide for institutionally; and which we claim through democratic praxis, are meant to make our democracy even more wholesome for our people, who are its sole litmus test.”
It is strange that people who looked the other way, who supported Rhodesia’s economy despite legal sanctions, supplied mercenaries to thwart the desires and aspirations of the black majority today want to lecture us on elections and democracy.
Again President Mnangagwa is spot on; indeed our elections, since the very first one, have always underpinned and advanced peace and stability for our nation.
“Lest the world forgets, the institution of the ballot emerged from, and was won through, our struggles as a people hankering for majority rule, for a non-racial democracy based on one-person, one-vote and for complete Statehood untrammelled by foreign domination and direction,” he said.
“Indeed, we had to take up arms for this wholesome state of affairs to be attained and realised.”
The August 23 election, development oriented and sane persons know, will be easily won by President Mnangagwa
It is an election he will easily nail, especially after taking a journey of massive development and progress in steading a ship that had been tossed and battered for decades.
On this ship, thanks to the work of the Second Republic, we can now stand on the keel and not hunker in the lower decks fearing for our lives.
We have been steered out of stormy waters, gotten out of rocky waters.
We are not fooled or scared by the gigantic tankers, even submarines wanting to torpedo us, seeking to sink us — we have full confidence in the navigation skills of ‘Captain ED’.
Being elected, again, for another term, is a message to you all — I particularly mean foreigners obsessed with our elections — that we, in the villages and cities, have confidence in his governing system.
The first term of office of President Mnangagwa has been full of tangible life-transforming developments, while Nelson Chamisa’s has been a show of how to consolidate power and turn an organisation into personal property.
His agenda of rebuilding Zimbabwe has not taken a breather from day one to this very moment.
For President Mnangagwa, the Second Republic has been an opportunity to further the aspirations of the people, the dreams and hopes birthed by our liberation struggles, a revamped and much better way of doing politics and developing Zimbabwe.
He has extended his hand to reconcile, put aside differences, to work together, to understand one another, to get views, other opinions and way of seeing, to the opposition political parties whom he has sat down with, not to lecture or berate, but strategise on how best to move the country forward.
President Mnangagwa is clearly a man on the go, with or without the opposition, as evidenced by the completed and ongoing development projects and engagement with the youth and women in developing the country.
At the beginning of the Second Republic, we inaugurated the rebirth of our nation.
We inaugurated the decimated but not lost dreams of our forefathers, foremothers and fallen heroes.
At the beginning of the new dispensation, we inaugurated the spirit of economic independence.
We re-launched a better, stronger and proud nation.
And in the Second Republic, the pursuit of our dreams has known no limits, no boundaries, no skies.
The only threat has been those who, due to no lack of self-belief or confidence but outright greed, selfishness and need for quick riches and desire for acceptance and to walk in Western citadels, have colluded with the enemy.
The only barrier to our national achievement is our belief in others at our expense, President Mnangagwa has taught us.
No nation was created poor by God, President Mnangagwa has shown us.
No country must bury its naturally endowed treasure, President Mnangagwa has constantly reminded us.
In the Second Republic, we have gotten new faith and belief in ourselves.
We have been turned into a coherent nation of achievers.
Difficulties and challenges still exist; but Zimbabwe must be a success story because already other African countries are looking to this ‘tiny’ Southern African nation.
A nation with a man at the helm who obviously has a grand vision for his country and is determined to build it.
The MDCs, now CCC, have continuously disputed Zimbabwe’s elections simply because it does not want the West to rethink its position on sanctions imposed on our beloved motherland.
Zimbabwe’s elections are a sign of the democracy African States fought for and taught the colonialists.
We can resolve, determine and chart our own way with no outside interference.
Running to the outside world with childish tantrums about an election which one has lost does not disturb our forward trajectory as a nation.
Let us set aside our ‘differences’ and help in building our country.
President Mnangagwa, like our forefathers and foremothers, is guiding and leading us, facing the so-called global super powers with unwavering conviction and courage.
What more would you need from the helm?
Conviction and courage, conviction and courage!
Not desperation, not hunger for power, not abuse of fellow lieutenants and subordinates!
From and in President Mnangagwa all we have seen is conviction and courage!
