The silly season is largely known in the media spaces where no major events, no news to focus on and journalists end up focusing on frivolous news.
But, if people were to pay attention, the silly season is prominent in the political circles just before elections when politicians make wild accusations and undeliverable promises are sprayed like water from sprinklers.
Fasten your seatbelts as politicians take us through the field days on the Nickelodeon drama farm using fantasies as transport.
The Zimbabwean silly season in politics is always at its highest, getting worse as we are just below a year away from the upcoming 2023 elections.
This was worsened by the just ended by-elections which political parties were using as a litmus test going into the next polls.
A number of electoral issues were raised, mainly by the opposition political parties and civic society accusing ZEC of being unprepared to level the playing field, biased political coverage by the media, and campaign irregularities.
Some of the issues raised are legacy issues that have since been raised during the 2018 watershed elections including the diaspora vote, the independence of ZEC, voters roll irregularities, transparency, intimidation, political violence, freedom of expression, abuse of state security, and alignment electoral law to regional and international standards.
Instead of playing victim, and heightening the political silly season the time is now for those with grievances to advocate for electoral reforms in Zimbabwe.
This does not only apply to the opposing political parties but to the ruling party whose five-year run was also marred by electoral integrity issues emanating from the issues highlighted above.
To have a smooth run, there is also need for them to put a hand in advocating for those issues to be solved.
Some of the issues can be done within the means of political parties such as voter education, encouragement of voter registration, advocating for peace, and engaging the election management board over outstanding issues while there is still time for a fix.
This is no time to be politicking, intra-party squabbling and horse-trading is search of personal glory and gain.
Let’s talk issues, not tissues…
…time to act is now!
