Zimpapers Logo

Dr Masimba Mavaza

In many countries in Africa, opposition political parties do not win elections, it is the incumbent ruling parties that win.

It takes a lot of effort for a ruling party to lose elections.

This has long been the case all over the world. Oppositions will not win by simply pointing out at the failures of the incumbent.

They must pass a basic competency test to be considered for office.

CCC has emerged as the largest opposition in Zimbabwe. Unfortunately, it still remains that in Zimbabwe no party can stand up to ZANU PF.

CCC has failed to unite people and it will have a big challenge to unite the country. Zimbabwe has an absentee opposition.

What makes this absence so striking is that ZANU PF has shown the capacity to unite the country and give people hope for a better tomorrow.

The electorate will evaluate both parties to see if change of Government is necessary.

People will not vote against ZANU PF because there is an opposition party but they will consider what the ruling party has offered and delivered.

Zimbabweans are aware that ZANU PF has delivered and will continue to address issues that affect people.

The ruling party is also democratic and this is seen through the internal structures.

The party has ensured Zimbabwe remains a sovereign State.

This has attracted many people to the party and they have remained loyal to it.
Zimbabweans also have the capacity to assess the leadership of the political parties and can tell which leader is capable of coming up with policies that benefit people.

The New Dispensation has made clear changes which confirmed that ZANU PF can bring new ideas, run effective campaigns against the opposition mechanism, and has won over the foreign and local media.

It is not a secret that the New Dispensation since coming into office has made tremendous transformations and uplifted the livelihoods of many.

This has earned the country recognition from other countries and foreign media organisations.

The CCC has nothing to offer to the electorate and always tries to capitalise on challenges being faced by the nation.

The CCC keeps hoping the challenges will intensify forcing people to turn against ZANU PF and Government.

The opposition party has been trying to sabotage the country as a way of forcing people to rebel against Government.

On this account there is nothing CCC can do to win the elections because Zimbabweans have not seen anything tangible being promised by the opposition.

The CCC has nothing to offer. After one term it is the incumbent’s job to keep.
It is difficult for an opposition party that has nothing to offer to remove the current Government from office.

The Second Republic has delivered to the nation’s expectations and obviously the electorate would want to see a continuation of development and thus another term in office.

Recently ZANU PF launched its election campaign in Chipinge.

This attests to the ruling party’s broad-based development and economic emancipation of the people policies founded on unshakable principles that uphold justice and equity for all.

It is therefore, clear that CCC has missed the spot and shows that it is fighting the very principle the people of Zimbabwe hold dear: The principle of democracy and transparency.

CCC which does not have a constitution cannot be trusted to protect our democracy, our people and the country.

The CCC is only waiting to contest the elections results.

Disputing election results, alleging rigging of the elections and approaching courts has been one of the major characteristics of the opposition party since its formation.

Chamisa is no different. It is going to be the same old story.

As ZANU PF is strengthening its party with the Government spearheading development, the CCC is caught up in internal conflicts which has further weakened it.
President Mnangagwa has been engaging and re-engaging with other nations as part of attracting investments to boost the economy.

Since the campaigns there has been an upward trend in share prices indicating increasing certainty around the election outcome.

A clean sweep of the House, the Senate, and the Presidency by ZANU PF would indicate a future full of reasonably predictable outcomes and that, according to share markets, would be worth taking a bet on.

Financial markets just want to know what is around the corner and at the corner is ZANU PF.

ZANU PF has shown its resilience and pulled shockers in most difficult times and has gained support from people.

Nevertheless, the assumption at the State House is that August 2023 is a slam dunk for the ZANU PF the main question being: by how much can ED increase his majority?

This is because the opposition is so weak; constitutionally bankrupt and dictatorial in nature.

No one would vote for chaos manifesting in the CCC and all its formations.

President Mnangagwa’s re-election with an increased majority will cement his position.

He has managed to put together a strong Cabinet and front-bench team that is far closer to him politically.

Politics abhors a vacuum, but it is hard to see proper opposition emerging from the debris of MDC and all its formations.

But it is not just CCC that has failed to be a proper opposition; Douglas Mwonzora MDC too has failed.

Since the formation of MDC Alliance opposition has been in disarray.

But the farce then turned violent as a meeting of MDC A ended up with the leadership frontrunner Morgan Komichi exhibiting leaking holes for a tea cup.
Komichi and Elias Mudzuri have now quit the party, saying it is in a ‘death spiral’. Part of the opposition problem is financial.

They failed to put candidates for parliamentary seats. The party is so hard up, that it is reluctant to pay an outside body to monitor in the coming election, so will do it in-house: a recipe for disaster in a party where the factions trust each other so little.

Inside the CCC, a loss for the deputy leader Tendai Biti is regarded as the most unfortunate doings of Chamisa.

Biti is well suited to taking over the party as he is the favourite of the handlers. But he will not cause any sleepless nights to ZANU PF as Chamisa took care of him on behalf of the ruling party.

As Zimbabwe looks towards the harmonised elections, the odds are in favour of ZANU PF.

Despite some challenges Zimbabweans have faced, voting for a non-democratic CCC will be an insult to those who died for democracy.

Zimbabweans know that the country was liberated through the blood and will never sell out.

We have a resolve as a people that we may face challenges but will never sacrifice our freedom.

Money or no money, Zimbabwe remains the only country we can call ours in the whole world and must never be handed over to those who do not respect the principles which make us Zimbabweans.

[email protected].