The one question I keep getting asked is in response to the question I have been asking the most. Are you voting? And the most popular response I am getting is ‘Why do you think it will be any different’. Meaning if I vote what makes you so sure there will be a different outcome as the past few elections? Which have all been rigged. The thinking is ZANU PF will always rig elections. Nothing so far shows that it will be any different. On top of that add to a seemingly clueless opposition which are haggling over money they have not picked up yet.
Having never voted before the 2018 election will be my first. I intend on voting. Already there are signs that the election will be rigged. Yes there doesn’t seem to be any difference to previous elections. So the question is a valid one. I have to admit I have not been compelling enough in my argument to change anyone’s mind. To this end I think the opposition has missed a trick. They are expecting to have votes and yet they are not convincing us why it will be any different.
This election has been touted as being determined by the youth. But the youth are the very ones who seem reluctant to vote. Yet this will affect them more than the elderly. The youth are too busy being outraged on social media. But they will not be going out to vote. They are happy to just comment on long threads on Facebook. Though they are not prepared to stand in long queues to determine their future.
The signs are already showing that the voter registration is going to be cumbersome. Even the president complained that it takes too long to register one voter. Clearly he is not savvy to some of the tricks this regime resorts to, to keep him in power. That tactic is meant to be slow to frustrate the youths who are vastly impatient. The reduced number of registration centres all these play into these tricks by the regime. The diaspora have to travel to Zimbabwe to cast their vote. All sorts of supporting documents required to register and the proverbial ‘system is down’ will all play a part in ensuring that only the resilient will vote.
Which brings me to a question I am always challenging those who think their vote will not make a difference. If ZANU goes to such great lengths to make sure people don’t vote then surely there is something in big voter turn out that will make it difficult to rig the election. ZANU’s tactic seems to be of wear them out and those that are left beat them up.
Its clear that there will not be any kind of revolutionary uprising in Zimbabwe to force the govt to the table. Although 2016’s #ThisFlag, #ThisGown and #Tajamuka movements seem to have shaken the establishment a bit. Gave us a glimpse into what could be. But as it stands our only recourse at the moment is to register and then vote. Will there be a different outcome, probably not. But we would have played our part and if someone steals your vote personally you maybe prepared to take necessary action to defend that vote.
