President Robert Mugabe’s re-election triggers fears and hopes

Lazarus Sauti

The 2013 harmonised elections have been concluded and the results are now known. President Robert Mugabe and Zanu-PF romped to an unassailable 61 percent landslide victory.

At the moment the elections are being judged by the observers who observed them and the majority of the local, regional and international observers have endorsed the polls as free and fair.

However, Britain and her Western allies have questioned the credibility of the elections, citing irregularities and other issues.

According to the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC), this was to be expected because the West is known to prefer the opposition, especially MDC-T and its leader Mr Morgan Tsvangirai over Zanu-PF and President Mugabe.

Observers from the African Union (AU), the Southern African Development Community (SADC), the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa COMESA), African Development Community Elections Forum, which groups the region’s election bodies, Sadc church groups, and the Sadc Parliamentary Forum have judged the election as peaceful, free and fair.

This is in contrast to the verdict of the western countries such as the United Kingdom, the United States of America and of course Australia.

But one thing for sure is that President Robert Mugabe’s reelection triggers hopes and fears amongst Zimbabweans.

 

Hopes

Optimists are hoping for good things to come once the President is sworn in.

The Herald said President Robert Mugabe’s reelection triggers hope for civil servants unions in the country.

“Civil servants’ unions have welcomed Zanu-PF’s resounding victory in the just-ended harmonised elections saying a one party government will ensure their conditions of service and salaries are improved.”

The paper quoted Zimbabwe Teachers Association chief executive Mr Sifiso Ndlovu saying, “The commitment Zanu-PF had towards education would see it prioritising the welfare of the country’s educators and the entire civil service.”

Ndlovu goes on to say, “We welcome that victory because the creation of an educated population by the party since independence managed to see us having a high level of peace and tolerance before, during and after the elections,” he said.

It is also the party’s hope that its empowerment programmes will ensure people’s lives are improved. The party expects to see the creation of jobs through the indigenisation and empowerment programmes.

Thus, Zimbabweans are hoping the Zanu is going to fulfil its promises. In its manifesto, the party promised Zimbabweans money to start businesses. The party also promised to improve the economy. Thus, it is everyone’s desire to see the fulfilment of these promises.

 

Fears

Pessimists are worried that markets can react in this not only to the unpredictability or lack of trust on ZANU PF polices or win but in consideration or potential unsettlement due to MDC and western governments’ reaction to the results.

The fears are not only a reflection of ZANU PF but the broader issues - including past history.

For instance, most people are afraid of the imminent return of the Zimbabwean dollar (local currency); rumours doing the rounds are suggesting that the Zimdollar would be immediately reintroduced.

People’s fear were also aroused by rumours that fuels prices had gone up and that South Africa had introduced visa fees in the wake of Zanu’s victory.

Because of this, one Daily News reporter said, “Economic experts warn that the recently stock market slump in the country is the clearest sign yet of how jittery the business community is about the Zanu PF win, whose economic policies are centred on the indigenisation of foreign-owned companies - essentially forcing them to cede majority control to local blacks.”

However, it is encouraging to note that the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe and Zanu-PF have dismissed rumours doing the rounds that the Zimdollar would be immediately reintroduced, saying there were no immediate plans to do away with the multi-currency regime.

The Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority (ZERA) early this week also dispelled reports in some sections of the media that fuel prices had gone up with petrol reportedly selling at US$1, 70 per litre, while diesel was said to be selling at US$1, 50 per litre.

The ZERA spoke as South Africa also dismissed claims that it had reintroduced visa fees in the wake of President Mugabe’s crushing victory in the harmonised elections to stem an anticipated influx of economic refugees.

For the country to move forward, it is time for all Zimbabweans to focus more on recovery. This also means that President Robert Mugabe and his new cabinet team should focus more on development.

Zimbabwe should use locally available resources on developing the country. It is also time for Zimbabweans to overlook their political attachments and work for the betterment of the country.