When playing poker, most people hold on to their joker waiting for the perfect moment to throw it in. ‘Pick 5, No Mercy, No Luck Card!’
With elections just around the corner, the campaign season has not been short of the usual drama, unless this time its hyper-personalized drama for the top spot.
Citizens Coalition for Change recently launched their manifesto in Bulawayo, a document that has attracted public shame from the incumbent President.
Mainly this was drawn from the documents’ promise to revive Hwange Power Station 7 and 8, which had (unfortunately for CCC) just been commissioned by Mnangagwa.
How convenient!
But that’s just the tip of the iceberg. For the past five years Parirenyatwa has been joke, making headlines for all the wrong reasons regardless of the fact that it is the biggest referral hospital Zimbabwe has…from leaking ceilings down to lack of paracetamol.
However, recently, Zanu PF tourist buses were stationed at Robert Mugabe Square, where the party had an overwhelming star rally for Harare Province. The optics are as important.
Mnangagwa played another joker on the table, commissioning imaging equipment, to Parirenyatwa hospital’s Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) centre.
Other equipment handed comprised of 77 dental equipment sets, which include chairs, autoclaves and x-rays, as well as virtual hospital emergency equipment which are a set of 10 000 each comprising digital Blood Pressure machines, oxygen concentrators and gluco-meters.
In addition, Mnangagwa also procured 36 ambulances, 36 double cab vehicles, 15 trucks for medicine distribution, 15 double cab utility vehicle and 28 staff buses for health service personnel to be distributed to various health institutions countrywide.
Isn’t that glorious?
No, its not.
Ask those who have tried to access health services from the hospital in the past five years.
At that same rally, Zanu PF also promised to refurbish Rufaro Stadium.
Unfortunately, a day later, Mafume’s joker was met with resistance and he failed to commission Rufaro Stadium.
It is ‘amazing’ that the government watched as Parirenyatwa fell down to its knees.
Even with the Vice President at the helm of the health ministry, they actually showed up at the eve of another election.
ZESA had lots of us turned into nocturnals for the past five years and also, all of a sudden we have station 7 and 8.
There’s a popular anecdote about Joseph Stalin that one day, Soviet Union dictator brought in a live chicken, which he then proceeded to pluck until it was naked and bleeding.
“Now, watch where the chicken goes,” Stalin said as he put it on the ground.
Finally freed from its torturer’s grasp, the chicken wasted no time getting away.
However, when it failed to find an exit, it readily returned to Stalin and attempted to warm itself between the dictator’s legs. Stalin then took out some grain from his pocket, which he fed to the chicken.
The chicken ate the grain despite the pain. When Stalin started to walk around the room, the chicken timidly followed, leaving a small trail of blood wherever it went.
Same, the electorate has tirelessly been subjugated and be given what they so desire on the eve of the election.
Elected officials should stand by their words and deliver promises they make during campaign season.
This is not only for Presidents, but Member of Parliament and councilors also play this John Cena (you can’t see me) card on their constituencies once they are elected.
We might as well have elections every year to get the social justice we deserve!
