Coffee with post election hangover ZW – Becoming The Muse
If you were having coffee with me, I would invite you to make yourself at home, don’t mind the mess, it’s a reflection of my current emotional state… I feel like, I had a big night out and over-indulged except I haven’t been anywhere except to vote and I didn’t drink… much😂
In case you missed the memo, Zimbabwe had its harmonised presidential elections on the 23rd of August 2023… The results were surprising but not unexpected, in a country were the same party has been the ruling party for the past 43 years.
If you were having coffee with me, I would tell you that of all the elections I have been a registered voter, this electoral cycle has been the most chaotic, albeit relatively peaceful. I mean how can it not be peaceful when our security forces have been mobilising ranks and on high alert to ensure that the citizens are safe to continue with their everyday lives.
Peace aside, the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission appears to have dropped the ball in conducting this round of elections where the were double and even triple candidates in some polls. Polling stations failed to open in time, ballot papers ran out… and a special declaration had to extend voting for the affected polling stations…
The AU, SADC and EU Observer Missions issued out preliminary reports to the effect that the elections fell short of the requirements of the Constitution of Zimbabwe, the Electoral Act, and the SADC Principles and Guidelines Governing Democratic Elections (2021).
If you were having coffee with me, I would tell you that it was rather odd that the response to the Election Observer Mission Reports came from the government than the Electoral Commission which as a Chapter Commission is supposed to be an independent commission. The government reminded Observers that their mandate was simply to observe….
The thing with Election Observer Missions is that they can only offer guidelines and recommendations, while negative reports can tarnish the legitimacy of an elected president, they wont stop life from going on. I wouldn’t be surprised to find that it’s a calculated move that the actual Observer Reports come out much later, after the inauguration by which time a new electoral cycle will have begun. 🤔
Another interesting thing is how the announcement of the presidential results got postponed or delayed. Apparently, the reason why they delay the announcement of the results till late at night, is to reduce the risk of protest and unrest, as people will be safely in their homes and by morning they will have had time to sleep it off and work through their feels, exactly quite unlike the stages of grief.
If you were having coffee with me, I would tell you that a certain air of disappointment and anger seems to hang about, for elections with such a resounding victory, I haven’t actually seen anyone jubilant about the results… People on the street are complaining about how they cant take another 5 years of the same…
I don’t know if it was just a strange coincidence but from the day the results were announced, loadshedding seems to be creeping back again, like did they only stabilise the power for campaign purposes and now that they have our votes, its back to darkness all over again…
Politicians are weird, they will go above and beyond to prove to you that they are best candidate for the job, except do the one thing you actually vote for them to do, their job…. And oh, what sore losers they can be…. A politician in Chinhoyi locked up a borehole he had installed and removed his water tanks after he had not been voted for…
Another is said to have unsubscribed a free Wifi Hotspot he had running at Cowdray Park….
Scott who brought in Mayweather to Zimbabwe was a surprisingly gracious loser and said he would continue to support the people of Mabvuku even if they did not vote for him…. I guess not all of them are vindictive….
So what happens next?… Well, candidates with a grievance have to lodge their issues with the constitutional court within seven days from the announcement of the results or forever hold their peace…. at least until the next elections.
The streets are full of whispers about protest, recounts, reruns and fresh elections with an overhauled electoral commission… And after the coup in Gabon, there is even talk about having another military intervention, they have done before already…. What are a people to do?
Whats been going on in your neck of the woods?
~B
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Becoming The Muse 
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