Before Zimbabwe's Presidential election earlier this month, I believed that if the election were not handled properly, there would be serious fallout in the country and throughout Southern Africa. Despite the shadows of war and terrorism, I called for a fair and free election. Zimbabwe's people did not get one. Instead, they got terrorism.
In the two years that led up to the Presidential vote, the people of Zimbabwe were subjected to severe intimidation, harassment and fear, all of which was carried out as part of a broader program of state-sponsored terrorism by Robert Mugabe's Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF). ZANU terrorism was conducted by rogue elements among the veterans of Zimbabwe's war of independence two decades ago, as well as by government militiamen and youths, all of whom were actively aided by the police.
This intimidation and violence meant that my party, the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) could not reach the electorate in large parts of the countryside. In addition, the government of President Mugabe, my opponent, effectively disenfranchised hundreds of thousands of urban voters, particularly in the capital city of Harare and in the city of Chitungwiza. Because of an inadequate number of polling stations, I believe that in Harare and Chitungwiza alone more than 360,000 people stood in a queue to vote but never gained the opportunity to cast their ballot.
ILLUSTRATION: MOUNTAIN PEOPLE
My concerns about the legitimacy of the election results are further raised by interference by Mugabe's militia, whose members prevented the MDC from placing polling agents in 52 percent of rural polling stations. By the end of the voting, our party had no observers at six out of 10 rural stations. This effectively meant that Mugabe's supporters could have their way at these stations. We are compiling a comprehensive list of the polling stations where ZANU supporters had solitary control. In our investigations so far, a pattern has emerged even at this early stage: these polling stations recorded the highest number of voters for Mugabe.
In light of all the evidence, I cannot accept the Presidential election results in which Robert Mugabe, the sitting president, was declared a winner this month with 56 percent of the 3 million votes tallied. The official results do not reflect the true will of the people of Zimbabwe and are illegitimate in the eyes of the people.
Zimbabwe's people have been cheated of their right to freely and democratically elect a President of their choice. The contest over the election results is a political issue that must be resolved politically. Food and fuel are in short supply, jobs are vanishing, inflation is running at more than 100 percent. The people of Zimbabwe deserve a celebration for their courage and determination. We may yet get one.
As I write, I am saddened because Mugabe's regime remains intent on defying the people's will. Whatever may happen, I as the people's loyal servant am with them all the way. The government may want to arrest me. Indeed, I was arrested for treason even before the election. At worst, they may even wish to kill me. But the government will never destroy the spirit of the people to reclaim their rights and power.
The power to achieve democratic change is in our hands. We may have moments of fear in the days ahead, but we must never let despair overwhelm us. The tide of political change is irreversible. But we must be prepared to pay a high price for our freedom. President Mugabe and his cronies are afraid of the people and we have heard they may do anything to kill the messenger.
If they do, I only ask that the people of Zimbabwe remain strong and carry on the work that we began together. Among ordinary Zimbabweans, the walk heroes -- heroes who waited hours and hours to vote, heroes who refused to be turned away -- these are the heroes of the new Zimbabwe whose voices must be heard around the world. Together, we traveled a very harsh road together to achieve democratic change in my country. Rarely in the history of humankind have a people faced such brutality while retaining such gracious exuberance. I realize that the people of Zimbabwe are impatient. I understand why. But they must wait peacefully for the political process to unfold. They will not let this election stand but neither will they succumb to Mugabe's provocative traps and resort to violence. The people of Zimbabwe want constitutional change, legal change, legitimate change, and they are going to obtain it in spite of all the obstacles.
In this, we know we are not alone. We know that throughout Africa, the will of the electorate has been thwarted. It appears in the majority of African states, whenever you have elections, you have irregularities, fraud, cheating. There's always a crisis of elections in Africa. There is, sad to say, a lack of sincerity on the part of governments across this continent when it comes time to give people the right to choose.
But those who wish otherwise can take hope. Zimbabwe's struggle is not over. We have time to tally the lessons for Africa, and the world, of our experience. My people are in their hour of greatest need. I pledge not to abandon them.
Morgan Tsvangirai is the leader of Zimbabwe's opposition Movement for Democratic Change and was its candidate for president in last week's election.
Copyright: Project Syndicate
The bird flu outbreak at US dairy farms keeps finding alarming new ways to surprise scientists. Last week, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) confirmed that H5N1 is spreading not just from birds to herds, but among cows. Meanwhile, media reports say that an unknown number of cows are asymptomatic. Although the risk to humans is still low, it is clear that far more work needs to be done to get a handle on the reach of the virus and how it is being transmitted. That would require the USDA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to get
For the incoming Administration of President-elect William Lai (賴清德), successfully deterring a Chinese Communist Party (CCP) attack or invasion of democratic Taiwan over his four-year term would be a clear victory. But it could also be a curse, because during those four years the CCP’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) will grow far stronger. As such, increased vigilance in Washington and Taipei will be needed to ensure that already multiplying CCP threat trends don’t overwhelm Taiwan, the United States, and their democratic allies. One CCP attempt to overwhelm was announced on April 19, 2024, namely that the PLA had erred in combining major missions
On April 11, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida delivered a speech at a joint meeting of the US Congress in Washington, in which he said that “China’s current external stance and military actions present an unprecedented and the greatest strategic challenge … to the peace and stability of the international community.” Kishida emphasized Japan’s role as “the US’ closest ally.” “The international order that the US worked for generations to build is facing new challenges,” Kishida said. “I understand it is a heavy burden to carry such hopes on your shoulders,” he said. “Japan is already standing shoulder to shoulder
Former president Chiang Ching-kuo (蔣經國) used to push for reforms to protect Taiwan by adopting the “three noes” policy as well as “Taiwanization.” Later, then-president Lee Teng-hui (李登輝) wished to save the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) by pushing for the party’s “localization,” hoping to compete with homegrown political parties as a pro-Taiwan KMT. However, the present-day members of the KMT do not know what they are talking about, and do not heed the two former presidents’ words, so the party has suffered a third consecutive defeat in the January presidential election. Soon after gaining power with the help of the KMT’s