Leaders must fulfill their election promises

Obituaries
The short-timed but highly intensive campaigns for the sadly controversial July 31 harmonised elections which left the old Zanu PF party victorious saw all contesting parties promising milk and honey to Zimbabweans.

The short-timed but highly intensive campaigns for the sadly controversial July 31 harmonised elections which left the old Zanu PF party victorious saw all contesting parties promising milk and honey to Zimbabweans.

SundayView by Kimion Tagwirei

Zanu PF promised to empower and create employment. In a nation still hard-hit by a disturbingly rising unemployment rate as industries keep falling, Zimbabweans must be praying that the government honours its promises.

People’s expe-ctations are so high because every elected leader promised to meet people’s needs if voted into power.

Many a time Zimbabweans remained unanswered on how these political promises will be fulfilled, if they will, as many similar promises have never been honoured since time immemorial.

The longest ruling Zanu PF party, which has been in power since independence has failed to fulfill much of its promises since it pursued party interests at the expense of the nation.

We heard about land being given to Zimbabweans but only Zanu PF party heavyweights and their biggest supporters got multiple, fertile farms. Only a few lucky Zimbabweans benefited while the rest of potentially productive citizens still salivate for a share of the land.

People expected the Zimbabwean economy to rise, since 1980s when Zimbabwe was considered as the bread-basket of Africa, but political blunders ruined our economy. Now Zimbabwe has become the begging empty basket in Africa.

Zimbabweans are aware of what went wrong till we lost all the riches once envied by many countries.

Zanu PF made a series of promises in every election time, especially after 1999 when MDC rose as an alternative option for the disgruntled Zimbabweans. MDC attracted many Zimbabweans with promises of new reforms, restoration of the rule of law, freedom and Zanu PF kept talking about up on land, indigenisation and empowerment up to today.

The high spirit of service that parties usually have during campaigning periods change when politicians get in power. The politicians eventually disappear after elections and re-appear on campaigning times. They seem able to serve when campaigning and look dead when they enjoy power.

Surprisingly such failed leaders are not shameful enough to stop lying again as they repeat same promises to win other elections.

Politicians might dispute this truth; but Zimbabweans are silently questioning if some of our leaders can do anything new, when they failed to accomplish their mandate previously.

Having been given this gracious chance again; incumbent leaders must work hard to fulfill their promises to voters.

Failure to honour promises begets loss of trust, support and honour. Zimbabweans cannot be forced to keep believing that same failing leaders still need some more chances when the very troublesome leaders selfishly enriched themselves instead of enriching the nation as expected.

A number of political leaders tarnish themselves and their parties by abusing power to amass wealth — Zimbabweans expect them to serve people as they promised in times of campaigning.

Leaders don’t have to serve themselves. Leaders must serve the people who voted them into power. People vote for a leader to represent them, to meet their needs.

Almost all politicians gave people good promises; but they must not end there. Leaders must strategise ways to fulfill their promises so that they can manage to serve Zimbabwe successfully.

The old and young leaders who won elections must bear in mind that their work did not end in winning elections.