The distressing tale of a war veteran’s widow brutally treated by the so-called ‘long arm of the law’, represented by the partisan police force and the ineffectual anticorruption commission, gives a stark picture of Zimbabwe’s current state of affairs. This police force, long due for reform, was responsible for a disgraceful case of abuse, as the widow was accused of fraud.
The war veteran’s widow, accused of defrauding the state by claiming school fees for a non-existent student, was seen as a continuation of the tactics her late husband and other war veterans had used to maintain ZANU PF’s grip on power. While their actions might have been detrimental to the state, her actions are simply symptomatic of a larger, more pervasive problem.
Fraud by war veterans or their surviving spouses is not uncommon. However, these cases are rarely isolated. Instead, they represent a survival mechanism. Arresting these individuals does not solve the root problem, especially when the alleged thefts are barely a drop in the ocean of state plunder and pillage. In fact, if the ZANU PF were to arrest all those involved in such fraudulent activities, it risks imprisoning its entire support base.
The anticorruption commission and partisan police’s first course of action should be to focus on the first family, the ZANU PF elites, and their clients. The widow’s theft, though egregious, pales in comparison to the voluminous loot amassed through high-profile scandals such as Draxgate, and the illegal mining and selling of Chiadzwa’s alluvial diamonds.
The war veterans and their families are driven by a need for survival and a flawed perception that ZANU PF is their solution. Their unabated loyalty, coupled with their sense of entitlement, is the source of their woes and the existential crisis they find themselves in. It is this mentality that has caused the paralysis of the state and pushed Zimbabwe towards becoming a failed state.
As Zimbabwe teeters on the brink of collapse, it begs the question: what will become of these entitled war veterans and their families? Who will come to their aid? It’s highly unlikely that the ZANU PF, which has prioritised its own corrupt enrichment at the expense of the people’s deteriorating welfare, will be their saviour.
The silver lining, however, is that the war veterans still have an opportunity to realign their loyalty. They need to stop opposing the legitimate opposition, a force that promises tranquillity and sensitivity to the people’s needs. The opposition, once in power, promises to prioritise public service delivery, which will be dependable, affordable, of high quality, and prompt. Unlike ZANU PF, they vow not to neglect the delivery of these services.
Checks and balances will be firmly in place, promoting accountability and transparency. Such mechanisms are critical to ensuring a focus on the welfare of the people, who have endured the authoritarian rule of ZANU PF for decades. Power devolution and broad-based inclusiveness will be the cornerstone of their governance, promoting transparency and accountability. This is the way forward, the only way to navigate the perilous path Zimbabwe currently finds itself on.