In fact, if the levels of intimidation and violence we are seeing with the constitution-making process are anything to go by, there is no doubt that the next election may be just as bloody as the 2008 one – or worse.
Heavy presence of the army, Zanu (PF) militia and the central intelligence officers is still the order of the day in most rural areas. This situation is continuing unabated, denying most people a chance to freely air their views, as they fear for their lives.
We only hope the independent monitors, who have risked their lives to monitor COPAC meetings, will document the violence that is going on.
Meanwhile the play, Waiting For The Constitution appears to be doing a better job than the real constitution outreach teams. The play has become more popular than the actual teams. Villagers continue to mistake it for the COPAC outreach teams.
Whereas the outreach team meetings are full of tension and fear, Waiting For The Constitution has no hassles with the people. The people feel so free that they open their hearts to the actors – telling them that they wished they were the ones collecting their views. They said they liked the play because it was coming to the people unlike COPAC teams, which were asking people to gather at certain venues where they could not go because they were being watched. COPAC is facing serious logistical problems, which sometimes result in confusion over venues and times of meetings.
One headman told the organisers of the play that although the people did not know what talking points were, they knew what they wanted. Yet Zanu (PF) continues to believe that silencing or suppressing all voices of dissent is the way to go.
But what Zanu (PF) forgets is that silence itself is also a form of communication. What the people know and what Zanu (PF) cannot stop – fortunately – is that they know they have the power for a NO vote if they are prevented from speaking out during the constitutional process.
What Waiting For The Constitution has proved is that no-one should undermine the intelligence of rural people. For instance, in some areas, villagers have been banned from socialising with people like teachers lest their minds be polluted. But the people are no fools. They know there are many ways of getting information. Zimbabweans are now simply determined to break free. It is only a matter of time.
Post published in: Editor: Wilf Mbanga