The half moon, dressed in orange, is just rising on the horizon and above it rising in the clear sky sits the tail of Scorpio

I have been watching all the international news broadcasts and specials on satellite TV tonight, not just tonight but for the last eight years, hoping for the news that mugabe and zanu were defeated, and that the time had come to finally have the opportunity to help this dear country and its great people reach full potential. That’s how long we have been at it.

In 2000 we listened to a prediction that mugabe would die in 2004 – unfortunately an inaccurate statement – but recall clearly how we said there was no way we would fight on for another four years and have to put up with all the zanu lies and abuse.

Eight years on and the national degradation across every aspect of Zimbabwean society is at its lowest in history. Somehow all the past abuse seems to disappear into some distant place in the mind as the only important issue right now are the outcome of the elections and the immediate period thereafter. There is a calm in this beautiful place in the bush, a familiar feeling that seems to haunt one just prior to election day.

The half moon, dressed in orange, is just rising on the horizon and above it rising in the clear sky sits the tail of Scorpio.

Don’t be fooled by the serenity, that devil is out there and in spite of what the people will say through the ballot, we know that mugabe will not just lie down and die, but that he and his henchman are planning yet another fraud.

Zimbabweans are of a peaceful and loving nature, but we have been subjected to decades of intimidation and polarization, fighting to not become another mugabe victim and statistic. I have to admit that I have not won that battle but the war is not over yet.

The past weeks have been full of many tails, which either begin or end with “ I heard it from the horses mouth”:

The Shona in mugabe’s rural strongholds have had enough and will not vote in his favour this time round.

The police and army who also have families to feed and fend for, will not back the old man any longer.

The Morgan supporters whose confidence grows daily, to now be proclaiming there will be a landslide.

Simba’s patrons believing that he is our only chance and will be victorious in his mission.

Who knows what will be, as we know that in the past elections of recent years, that even when the MDC won at the ballot, they did not end up taking charge and forming the government we all deserve.

Full of emotion, my hope is that both Morgan and Simba, supported by the real people of this nation, have the strength to reject yet another stolen election, and show us and the world that true leadership, capable of forming a true democratic society in the heart of Africa, has been born.

It’s going to be a long couple of anxious days and despite activism fatigue, I know that even if our dream comes true, our job will just be beginning – Democracy is worth fighting for but keeping it will require an even greater commitment.

Long time and future Sokwanele Activist

This entry was posted by Just Business on Saturday, March 29th, 2008 at 10:15 am. You can follow any comments on this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.