And so it begins

THE ruling party, ZANU PF, yesterday launched its election campaign in Chipinge, setting the tone for the beginning of a full-scale vote hunt ahead of the August 23 polls.

And, as he has done every time he addresses the nation, President Mnangagwa, for the umpteenth time, stressed the importance of peaceful campaigns before, during and after elections.

It is in everyone’s interest to heed this sacred call.

Events around the Nomination Court sitting and attendant processes last week seem to suggest that our democracy is coming of age.

Indeed, we need to hear the chorus ring across the political divide.

As our democracy matures, so, too, must our conduct.

Politics, they say, is a battle of ideas.

The electorate want to buy the most viable policies, programmes and projects from political actors and parties that are vying for public office.

This means personal political attacks and incendiary rhetoric
no longer have space in our
politics.

It is regrettable that one of the Presidential hopefuls, Mr Nelson Chamisa of CCC, used his speech after visiting the Nomination Court sitting at the High Court last week to target derisive potshots at President Mnangagwa.

The unpalatable words might have been made in jest, but this came across as very unpresidential for a politician who is better-placed to appreciate the influence that
political leaders have on their supporters.

This has the potential to create a climate of toxicity that dents the spirit of fair contestation.

Considering the enormity of expectations from the electorate, who are interested in knowing what is potentially in store for them over the next five years, this is hardly the time for cheap politicking.

Over the past five years, we have had the opportunity to experience the policies and programmes of the ZANU PF Government under the Second Republic.

Its infrastructure development drive, using internally generated resources, is there for everyone to see.

Lake Gwayi-Shangani, first mulled in 1912, is close to completion; while Kunzvi Dam, which was mooted decades ago, is well underway.

Three other dams — Marovanyati (2020), Muchekeranwa (2021) and Chivhu (2023) — have been completed, together with associated irrigation schemes for communities.

Relatedly, irrigation schemes that have been mothballed for years are being revived.

A lot of work has been done on the country’s road network, with the signature project being the Beitbridge-Masvingo Highway, which has now reached the home stretch.

In terms of power generation, two new units — Hwange Unit 7 and Unit 8 — are finally being commissioned after inordinate Covid-19-induced delays, guaranteeing a steady injection of 600MW into the grid going forward.

Output in agriculture and mining has been rising to record levels over the past five weeks.

Just last week, the Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board announced that it expects deliveries of the golden leaf — one of Zimbabwe’s major foreign currency earners — to reach a record 290 million kilogrammes in the current marketing season.

And, most importantly, for the first time in two decades, there is traction in Zimbabwe’s arrears’ clearance and debt resolution programme, which will help buttress economic stability and unlock fresh capital.

Overall, the progress that we have made is apparent.

But a lot of work still needs to be done, which means ZANU PF needs to further sell itself to the electorate to guarantee five more years in power.

Similarly, opposition political parties have the onus to prove to the same constituency that they have credible, viable and plausible alternative policies that can better what the ZANU PF Government has, is and will do.

We expect brain, not brawn, from them.

Going off-script through launching of personal and inflammatory attacks on political rivals is the least that we expect from our politicians in this consequential political season.

As Zimbabweans, our past, present and future are bound by blood.

We have no other option than to succeed and make our country great.

However, it starts with mature politics, underpinned by peace.