IN less than two months, Zimbabweans will head for their ninth poll since attaining independence from colonial rule in 1980, when for the first time the indigenous people freely exercised their rights to self-determination and to choose, in an election, those they want to lead them.
Zimbabwe’s first democratic elections in 1980 were as oversubscribed as they were peaceful and everyone was very enthusiastic to cast their ballot in an election that pitted former bitter enemies who fought each other in a bloody war that lasted more than a decade.
Despite emerging from a protracted civil war, no one feared casting their votes in that election.
Yet, fast forward to 2023, 43 years later, Zimbabweans now tremble each time they go for an election, which is a very sad state of affairs in this young democracy.
One organisation, Afrobarometer — which describes itself as a pan-African, independent, non-partisan research network that measures public attitudes on economic, political and social matters in Africa — has told us that 70% of Zimbabweans have expressed fear of becoming victims of political violence during this year’s election period.
This is a serious indictment on the country’s claim to being a democratic nation and an embarrassment for a nation that is a member of the United Nations (UN), an establishment whose members should ideally be apostles of democracy.
The fear of becoming victims of electoral violence that the majority of the country’s citizens have expressed is a real cause for concern and points to the fact that there is something gravely amiss in our democracy.
In a true democracy, no person should fear to exercise the right to choose their leaders, and it is under these circumstances that we implore those who might be creating this undesirable fear in us to introspect and desist from trampling on our freedoms.
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“The values of freedom, respect for human rights and the principle of holding periodic and genuine elections by universal suffrage are essential elements of democracy,” the UN keeps reminding us at every turn.
We, therefore, remind the nation that being a UN member, the country, through our very able government, should revisit the UN Charter, especially the UN General Assembly instruments that promote human rights principles and democratic values in order for Zimbabwe to hold free, fair and peaceful elections without anyone fearing for their lives.
In 2000, the former UN Commission on Human Rights recommended a series of legislative, institutional and practical measures to consolidate democracy leading to the 2002 declaration that member nations should respect: “Freedom of association; freedom of expression and opinion; access to power and its exercise in accordance with the rule of law; the holding of periodic free and fair elections by universal suffrage and by secret ballot as the expression of the will of the people; a pluralistic system of political parties and organisations; the separation of powers; the independence of the Judiciary; transparency and accountability in public administration; and a free, independent and pluralistic media.”
If we choose to be a democracy, none of us should fear to exercise their universal suffrage. Democracy should be Zimbabwe’s guiding principle.
