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Parliamentary Monitor: Issue 28
Parliamentary Monitoring Trust (Zimbabwe)
April 04, 2012

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Letter to Politicians: On elections

Elections? What elections? Whose elections? For an anarchist, “They would have banned elections if they worked!”

We may not be anarchists but ordinary Zimbabweans, crying out to be heard when it comes to issues that affect us. We may have ordinary voices, but these have extra-ordinary impact. It is in this vein that we have decided to write an-other letter, this time to the politicians who are engaged in a mortal combat over when and how to go for ballot again. As Zimbabweans, disturbed by talk of elections and the anxiety and panic it has caused us, we seek to ad-dress you on significant issues we feel should be looked at.

Our argument is premised on the supposition that elections are necessary but not an end to democracy. There are other tenets which we will not address as we should be short since most of you have tight schedules. We do not doubt the necessity of elections, they give us the chance to punish or reward public officials. Elections also keep elected officials on their feet. As such, we are always eager to cast ballots. However, when you talk of elections this time around, we are not as eager as we should be. Maybe it is because of the past. But another thing that worries us is the discord we have seen in the call for elections. These are elections for Zimbabweans and we strongly believe that the nation cannot go in with such discord. It may not be too harsh to say the discord at your level and cascade to our level and you are sowing seeds of disharmony and violence. We are not to prescribe but suggest that as leaders of this country, why nt come to a common ground with regards to elections. We have more things tying us than tearing us and the elections issue should be taken not as a mortal combat but a time for rewards and punishments. We urge you, like you did three years ago, to come together and agree on something to save and serve this Great Nation. As it stands, you want to disagree into an elections with dire consequences!

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