There is a saying, “ people get the government they deserve”, I think this is a fair statement. As Zimbabweans we are not victims but we are accomplices in our suffering. As much as we mourn about the disastrous ZANU-PF policies and corruption we are part of the problem. One day I will write about the corruption by ordinary people in Zimbabwe. Dr Nkosana Moyo said Zimbabweans are fighting to be part of the system but not to change the system.
Last year we had an election in Zimbabwe. MaNyoni and I debated whether we should go to Zimbabwe or not as our budget was tight, to cut costs we ended up driving to Beitbridge left the car on the border and got lifts to Harare. The border was deserted. On the day of the elections it was very cold in Zimre Park when we woke up around 3am and went with our neighours to become the first people on the queue at our polling station. We had only taken 1 day leave as we had just started working and we did not have many leave days.
By 9am we were done and took a minibus taxi to kuMbudzi and then got lifts to Beitbridge. We left the border after 4pm and drove to Pretoria. On the way we were listening to SAFM where many Zimbabweans in South Africa were phoning complaining that elections are always rigged. How do you complain about elections that you don’t even bother to participate in🤷🏿♂️
The elections in Zimbabwe are not fair but they are the best shot of effecting change, I wrote in the blog how the parliamentary elections are made to benefit Zanu-PF (http://kanyokad.blogspot.com/…/even-two-thirds-majority-att…). The fact of the matter is that ZANU-PF won the parliamentary elections fair square even MDC will tell you that. The only challenge was in Chegutu. ZANU-PF is the master in manipulation but at the end of the day they get the votes especially in rural areas I once shared my experience on that (http://kanyokad.blogspot.com/…/why-there-is-little-hope-for…)
Before the elections on separate occasions, I spoke to two of my friends who are professionals in Harare and they told me voting was a waste of time and they would not participate in elections. A few months ago one of the friends told me that life was becoming unbearable in Zimbabwe and I almost told him why are you complaining when you did not bother to vote. In resettlement areas ZANU makes sure everyone goes to vote yet people in towns just complain.
I have no sympathy for Zimbabweans especially those in neighboring countries. After New Year’s holiday in 2013 I spent almost 3 days at Beitbridge Zimbabwean side due to the huge numbers of Zimbabweans in South Africa who were queuing to get back to South Africa after the holidays. Imagine my shock in July 2013 the day before the elections, it took me less than 30minutes to have my passport stamped on both sides of the border including walking the 1.5kms. I got even cross when I got home in Zimbabwe, the four adults renting our house did not even register to vote😡Estimates vary on how many Zimbabweans are in South Africa. I can tell you if only a quarter of them had voted Zanu-PF would have lost the elections.
The fact that MDC combined got more seats than ZANU-PF in 2008 and Morgan Tsvangirai became prime minister and the economy improved is all thanks to our votes in 2008. Some will mourn that ZANU did not allow diaspora vote, that is a no brainer, ZANU-PF will lose power if they do that. Come December holidays everyone goes home including those who are illegal immigrants. What is more important?
Is enjoying Christmas more important than sorting out the future of our kids🤷🏿♂️. If you are deported from Zambia, South Africa, Namibia, Botswana etc, what sort of Zimbabwe will you face? About 200 000 Zimbabweans in South Africa are on the Special Dispensation 4 year permits that are expiring in 2021, what type of Zimbabwe will you face if you have to go back home?
As Zimbabweans we get the courage to face crocodiles in Limpopo river but somehow we are scared of our tormentors. The blame goes even to my relatives in rural areas who privately admit that ZANU has no capacity to solve our problems but we still vote for them. People in Zimbabwe are dying from midieval diseases whilst we are looking.
The rest of the SADC region is now fed up with Zimbabweans and it is time we look in the mirror and accept the blame for our actions and solve our problems and go back home. In South Africa over 50% of African youth are unemployed, we compete with them for low paying jobs from restaurants, supermarkets, domestic staff, manual workers in the construction industry, fuel attendants, farm workers, selling goods in the streets.
Come on guys we can’t be laughing stock of the world forever guys. I am remembering the words written by the late Professor Masipula Sithole wrote in early 2000 on the eve of the 2000 Constitutional Referendum,the first time Zanu-PF lost the vote, he said,” The collective wisdom of the Zimbabwean people is wiser”
We deserve better as Zimbabweans!
God bless Zimbabwe
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