By Takura Zhangazha*
I am aware that I have used an awkward word (relapse) for this
particular blog. But there were three significant events that brought a
deeper reflection to the scheduled 30 July 2018 general/harmonised election to
necessary thought. But before I delve into those, it would be
helpful to explain what relapse means. It essentially
means going back to repeating the same mistake over and over again. Or a return
to a previous status of ailment. Even if by way of tradition or inability to resolve
a problem.
But back to the three key events that we must take note of in at
least the last three weeks and as they relate to elections in Zimbabwe this
month.
The first being the published summary of pre-election survey
results of the Mass Public Opinion Institute working in tandem with
Afrobarometer. The results of which are probably still slightly
indicative of a ruling Zanu Pf victory while at the same time offering hope of
the opposite being true in the event of a close call first round result call
between the opposition and the ruling establishment.
But those details are interpretive and best left to those that own
the survey to best explain them when they decide to do so. Or are
asked to do so in the last days before the election.
Sifting through some of the initial data provided by MPOI and
Afrobarometer, there is a depressing assessment of how Zimbabweans perceive of
their political roles as citizens. This being that a majority do not
participate in ‘civic’ activities apart from the hope that their vote will
count for something. Very few of the respondents in the survey
professed any need to regularly attend collective meetings to deal with an
issue that affects everyone (eg. water, electricity and other basic amenities). This
is despite an electorally (every five or three years) regular expectation
of a chance to change the leadership f the country.
Its almost self contradictory until one reads between the lines of
the MPOI survey. A lot of Zimbabweans do not want to discuss
political and civic issues beyond the confines of an electoral choice. And only
for every five years.
A greater majority do not know of seek to know
who their public representative in the national executive, the legislature or
local government is unless they have to. Probably out of what Masipula Sithole
referred to as the margin of terror, or put more simply, the margin of fear.
The second significant occurrence was when former President of the
United State of America, Barack Obama gave the Nelson Mandela lecture in
Johannesburg, South Africa. In his lecture, Obama asked a question
as to Mandela’s popularity and if anyone could have defeated the latter. And
why Mandela never chose to rule by executive fiat despite his tremendous
undefeatable popularity (at that time).
In Zimbabwe’s scheduled
election there is no Mandela. As is the case in most African elections. To paraphrase him, no candidate that exudes ‘ a singular moment, an epiphany’
to greater things to come. But according to Obama, the soon to
be first president of a democratic South Africa chose, eventually, to relinquish
that soaring popularity for a democratic order. One that despite its
flaws, constitutes a democratic and free South African today. The
key point having been that democracy does not exist because of elections. On
the contrary democracy precedes and defines electoral processes.
The third perspective that I wish to highlight is the probable
reality that Zimbabwean society is now highly individualised. Not
because we actively sought to arrive here. But more because we have
lost our ‘thinking caps’. At least a majority of us. Never mind our at least
continental reputation as the most educated Africans South of the Sahara.
This culture of individualism emerged as a combination of a harsh
economic environment, a withdrawing state as led by a neo-liberal and
repressive government with the expansion of materially motivated religious
movements (big and small). This has also meant our ambitions have also become exceedingly
self centered and less about a collective or common good for society. So we
frown on things that everyone should safely have such as public transport,
health and education. And we strive for
those things that are essentially individual, consumerist and perishable.
But back again to my use of the word relapse. The amount of anger a lot of young and old
Zimbabweans feel about the state of affairs in the country is palpable. In this
perceptions are fairly binary and can be highly emotional. And they do not favour any assumptions of a
lack of rationality. And in the process
we may find ourselves repeating the same mistakes again and again. These being
forgetting values and principles that would make this country better. For
everyone and not those that would want to lead us.
*Takura Zhangazha writes here in his personal capacity
(takura-zhangazha.blogspot.com)
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