ZANU PF’S MILITARY RULE: A TICKING TIME BOMB
The military in Zimbabwe has been manipulated by ZANU PF, the ruling party, to stray from its true duty of protecting the nation’s sovereignty and security. Instead, it has become a tool of fear, used to prevent democratic change. The military is often deployed to suppress citizens’ rights, such as the right to assembly. ZANU PF is aware that its time is limited, as seen from global events like the Arab Spring and the ousting of Bashir through popular uprising or the military coup in Myanmar. Despite their weaponry, these regimes couldn’t stop the inevitable change.
People have limits to their patience. For example, what message does a small increase in military salaries send? Citizens may wonder if only the military suffers from inflation. They may also question who is causing this inflation, which the secret pay raises aim to protect the military from. Questions like these weaken ZANU PF’s reliance on its military power.
ZANU PF uses the military as a shield against accountability for years of human rights abuses, property violations, and corruption. The military has infiltrated the courts, ensuring that the opposition can’t take power and disrupt the status quo. A new, independent judiciary brought in by the opposition would mean recovering stolen assets and returning them to the people.
ZANU PF has tried various methods to crush the opposition, from using the military and restrictive laws like the Patriotic Bill to manipulating the courts and media. Despite these efforts, the opposition has survived due to its maturity and resilience. This resilience reflects the people’s determination to endure the military’s attempts to protect ZANU PF and suppress uprisings.
Moreover, the military will eventually realize that their own children suffer from the failing public school system, which has poor results due to neglected teachers and lack of investment. This growing frustration will make the military sympathize with the public and hesitate to support the looting by ZANU PF.
Even with salary hikes, the military will find that inflation outpaces these increases, leaving them unprotected. The economy is nearly fully dollarized, and while the military is used to prevent uprisings, its members are excluded from economic governance. They will see that they have no reason to protect ZANU PF. The opposition, if in power, would not just print money to shield the military from inflation but would tackle the root causes of inflation, ensuring the military’s welfare is properly addressed, as demonstrated during the government of national unity.
In conclusion, like the global events mentioned, ZANU PF is running out of time. The military won’t always be loyal to protecting ZANU PF or maintaining the current system. Nor will they be able to destroy the opposition, which has shown incredible resilience against numerous attacks. The opposition will eventually rise, restore the rule of law, ensure equality, and return the military to its rightful role. This change will also guarantee that the welfare of the military personnel meets global standards.
