Putting an end to the scramble for Zimbabwe.

This time, equipped with the new constitution, Zimbabwe shall again hit the ballots to choose the next leader. The country is at this point, in a state that requires an able leader who will steer it out of the red, bringing what everyone yearns to see- total economic, social and political independence. Everyone knows that the major sectors of the economy took a hard hit and toppled over; education, health, manufacturing, agriculture, mining, insurance, financial services all went under because of the warped policies of the government. Journalists who have dared bring to light these happenings have been detained, some died while others ran off to seek shelter in foreign lands, so did many more people from different walks of life. It suddenly became so undesirable to be a resident of Zimbabwe, a disgrace if among other nationals. While this has been happening, on the main arena, we have had the real players who have been and still are preoccupied with emptying the coffers of the country. When Europeans gave in during the Chimurenga, people rejoiced, hoping that a new day had just dawned. The day they all hoped for was freedom, justice, equality and prosperity and it was, but just for a second. Then came in the age of the tyrannical reign of Mr Mugabe whom we today are all fighting to make leave the state house. He in turn has been very arrogant, refusing to acknowledge that the ruined state the country largely is contributed to his and his cohorts doing. He maintains his innocence and blames the western countries and sellouts. On the other hand, I blame myself for having not done anything to ensure that this man's ego would not swallow the country's vision, and I blame everyone else too. I believe, our country is our nation, not a group of men who under the guise of having fought for independence squander the national wealth and squash any form of opposition. The responsibility to turn it around is ours. I have noticed that politicians were born to deceive and win elections, then enrich themselves and strive to remain in the positions they will be so as to steal a lot more. We have seen them, coming to us with all the good promises and then we getting excited and all worked up that at last, a true person has come forward to address our plights and we vote for him/her only to get a rude awakening when they disappear from our very faces and play hard to get for as long as they do not need a re-election. Then they re-appear when it now becomes time for a re-election and again we fall for the same old lies. What a crafty lot politicians are? Or gullible we are!

So this time, having seen what the current breed of politicians are and having suffered through ZANU (PF)'s rule, we have all a reason to vote and not for them because we all know, one wrong step and again we plummet down the cliff. Maybe, and only maybe, it was not their fault that Zimbabwe went through a very rough period, maybe it was the United Kingdom and her allies' fault, maybe it was the rest of the people other than those associated with the ZANU horde, maybe it was just nothing but a freak of nature that made us go through all that, we just need a change of government. We need to see who the real culprit is (although we know) and when we establish that fact, like civilized humans, we sit down and take punitive measures. When we all go out to vote this time, it is important that we do that in honor of our heroes; those who gave their lives to free the country from the Rhodesian mafia, those who died at the hands of ZANU (PF) fighting for a change and still, freedom and all those men, women and children who perished because the health sector of the country had collapsed. Had the government maintained the sector healthy, a lot of deaths would have been avoided. We have kept quiet while they misruled long enough to let them get away once again. There has not been unity among our folks to collectively rally against the government and the few who did it were beaten, arrested and some were killed while the rest of people were too afraid to intervene. Over the last few years there has been a trend that had been taking root among our society, that if all is well with one, then there is no need to look out for the rest. This selfishness has helped the looters get away with everything because they learned the trick of Europeans when they came to colonize; divide then rule. What we have not realized is that, the divisions have been created by the one who has been using us. We may have different opinions, but when it comes to the matters of our country, we have to protect our common heritage. We have to stop whoever makes a go at what is the essence of our well being. However, we have not realized that as a nation and the cunning politicians hit a home run. At the end of the day, it has become sort of a norm to accept corruption by top officials, we have given them the green light to continue plundering and we give them all sorts of titles; chef, boss, vakuru,mambo whatever they say, bottom line is, it makes no sense at all.

A selected candidate has to be worth the salt. If I put my mark on a name, I expect that person the prove their worth to me, and so, if we go into the election with this mindset, we will see things beginning to shift in the country. Let me say this, things only change if we take action to change them. A lot of people have been slipping into some kind of mentality that has been quite evident in churches, that of wanting things to miraculously to happen and to that, many a smart man have capitalized and since we live in a capitalist world, they made money and the rest of the people are still waiting for the supernatural shift. We pray for change, but we also have to take steps towards meeting that which we hope to come, and that is faith! Well, after these elections, it is my wish to see the elected statesmen being held accountable to their last word. We should all remember, people who run the government work for us, not that we work for them. If we see signs of slacking, then we ask for them to be replaced and that has to happen. It is possible, forget what ZANU (PF) has made everyone to believe that the president is not questioned. I believe that he does not want to be confronted by the people because he knows he is guilty. So, from this election onward, let us set a new culture that of holding every politician accountable and making sure that all our resources are put to use for public benefit. If it is possible, whoever they may be now, we should draw up lists of their promises so as to question them or applaud when they do not fulfill them or fulfill. The duty is for all of us, not for only a few select people who have been doing this and leaving everyone thinking that it is their God-given task. These elections should mark the beginning of good things in Zimbabwe, only if we allow that to happen by voting for the candidate who has a promise for a true democracy, who promises to invigorate the economy and put Zimbabwe back on the map.