In a stunning display of orchestrated manipulation, Zimbabwe’s 2018 elections showcased a disturbing collaboration among politicized state institutions, shattering the very notion of independence enshrined in the country’s supreme law. The once-promising democratic process fell victim to the iron grip of the notorious and authoritarian ZANU PF, which defied the people’s will and seized control through a coup. Under the guise of governance, this cancerous regime has perpetuated its reign through coercion, leaving a trail of neglected welfare, constant repression, and unending famine.

Prior to the fateful 2018 elections, ZANU PF, notorious for its failed track record, boldly presented a series of outlandish promises. These vows, akin to a leopard claiming it could grow wool and change its spots, were met with skepticism by those politically informed. Given the party’s entrenched corruption and decay, such commitments seemed not only laughable but utterly impossible.

The grim reality on the ground, far from the sanitized narratives propagated by a biased and underpaid state media machinery, is an undeniable testament to ZANU PF’s deception. Every promise, uttered with authority by this tyrannical and illegitimate entity, has withered into nothingness. Grand pledges of job creation and nationwide electrification, extending even to the remote rural corners, have proven hollow. The impoverished populace, living in fear and destitution, has borne witness to these empty words, as their lives remain untouched by progress.

As the election season rears its head, ZANU PF finds itself devoid of any achievements to showcase to its disillusioned and impoverished electorate. Faced with this stark reality, the party’s penchant for violence becomes disturbingly attractive. By employing aggression and coercion, ZANU PF aims to preserve its grip on power, allowing its corrupt cronies to continue their unabated plundering and looting. The aftermath, a grim landscape of deprived public services and ignored welfare, inevitably fuels calls for a constitutional change in governance, posing a direct threat to the regime’s ill-gotten gains.

It is essential to acknowledge that ZANU PF’s litany of false pledges, emblematic of its cancerous rule, extends beyond the confines of the 2018 elections. This party, notorious for its tyrannical, authoritarian, and illegitimate conduct, has dominated Zimbabwe’s political landscape for an alarming four decades. Akin to a parasitic force, it has consistently prioritized self-enrichment over the nation’s development, all while subjecting its citizens to terror and oppression.

The notion that ZANU PF, which has reveled in brutality and corruption, would suddenly shift its focus towards public welfare and progress is nothing short of madness. Instead, the party has found an alternative path to sustain its grip on power — violence. As the deficiencies in development and economic growth become increasingly apparent, ZANU PF turns to its tried-and-true method of plundering and looting, reinforcing its dominance through fear and intimidation.

In the face of this continuous cycle of broken promises and tyrannical tactics, Zimbabweans are left grappling with a stark reality. The cancerous grip of ZANU PF, marked by illegitimacy, repression, and neglect, shows no signs of abating. Only time will tell if the nation can break free from this cycle of manipulation and emerge into a future defined by true progress and democratic governance.