My two cents on Zimbabwe elections

At disputed elections held in 2018, Mnangagwa was declared winner with 50.8 percent of the vote, followed by Chamisa who won 44 percent of the vote.

The elections are taking place at a very difficult time for the people of Zimbabwe, a potentially rich and prosperous country, whose economy has been wrecked by greed, lack of good governance, lack of unity and bad leadership. The sad and tragic story of Zimbabwe is the enduring legacy of Robert Mugabe (RIP) who started well as prime minister in 1980 when the country achieved independence after a bitter, costly and protracted liberation war waged against a racist minority regime led by Ian Smith. 

The dire economic situation, hyperinflation, systemic corruption, state-inspired violence, impunity by security agents and Zanu-PF operatives are among the main challenges facing the electorate of Zimbabwe.

Against this background, I remember with nostalgia my first visit to Harare in September 1986 to attend the 8th Summit Conference of the Non-Aligned Movement. What a difference time makes. Zimbabwe of 37 years ago was a happy, prosperous and promising country with a strong currency, the Zimbabwe dollar, which was abandoned as national currency in April 2009. Zimbabwe is one of a few African countries with no national currency. 

For historical reasons, the US dollar is legal tender in Liberia, but for political and economic expediency the US dollar is de facto legal tender of Zimbabwe which is a disgrace and a tragedy for a country which was once a progressive and revolutionary African country.

If the 2018 presidential election is any guide, the prospects for genuinely free, fair, credible and peaceful elections in Zimbabwe in 10 days’ time are not good. Many of CCC’s election rallies have been banned or disrupted by Zimbabwe police which is indefensible, outrageous and unacceptable.

One gets the impression that Zimbabweans, especially the youth, who are the vast majority, are sick and tired of Zanu-PF which has been Zimbabwe’s ruling political party for 43 years. 

The party enjoys the advantages of incumbency, state power and access to public resources, but according to reliable sources the energetic and youthful Chamisa is Zimbabwe’s most charismatic and popular political leader.

Like Uganda, Zimbabwe is long overdue for major electoral reforms to level the playing field, allow equal access by opposition political parties and CSOs to public mass media and remove the military from participating actively in the electoral process. Many observer missions recommended electoral reforms in 2018, but none of these have been implemented by the government of Zimbabwe.

According to law, the results of the presidential election must be announced five days after the polls, by August 28. A candidate must win more than 50 percent of the vote to be declared winner by ZEC. 

I forecast that none of the 11 presidential candidates will get 50 percent and hence there will be a run-off between Mnangagwa and Chamisa. I predict a clear victory for the CCC candidate in the second round of the presidential election. 

Zimbabwe deserves and needs a new beginning which Mr Chamisa, whom I know, is capable and willing to provide.

Harold Acemah is a political scientist and retired career diplomat.   
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