ZIMBABWE’S COSTLY BY-ELECTIONS EXPOSE A REGIME OBSESSED WITH POWER OVER PEOPLE

As Zimbabwe heads into yet another round of by-elections on February 3, the mood in the country is one of anger, frustration, and deep disappointment. These elections are not about democracy. They are about a regime clinging to power, even as the country falls apart.

With hospitals collapsing and roads crumbling, Zimbabwe is a nation in crisis. Yet the government continues to pour millions into political theatre while the people suffer. The upcoming by-elections are just the latest example of how the ruling elite chooses power over progress and politics over people.

The timing couldn’t be worse. Medical staff across the country are working in terrible conditions. Hospitals are running without medicine, gloves, bandages, or even water. Pregnant women are being turned away. Children are dying of preventable diseases. And instead of investing in healthcare, the government is spending money on more elections—most of which are engineered to benefit ZANU PF.

It’s not just the hospitals that are in a mess. Zimbabwe’s roads have become death traps. Potholes, floods, and neglect have turned highways into hazards. Transporters are losing goods. Commuters are risking their lives every day. In rural areas, some communities are now completely cut off. But the government’s priority? Rigged elections and political games.

The truth is, these by-elections are not about democracy. They are about dominance. They are about maintaining a one-party state under the false banner of electoral legitimacy. The ruling party is desperate to tighten its grip, and these elections are just another step in their never-ending campaign to control everything—at any cost.

This crisis is not new. For years, Zimbabwe has been trapped in a cycle of manipulation. When the people demand schools, clinics, and jobs, the regime delivers rallies, slogans, and repression. When the people cry for water and food, the government responds with propaganda and staged political victories. The upcoming by-elections are not a solution—they are part of the problem.

Zimbabweans are not fooled. They see what’s happening. They know the money being wasted on ballots and campaign materials could buy medicine. They know the convoys of political campaigners could be used to deliver supplies to remote clinics. They know that the government is choosing to ignore their suffering.

There is no excuse for this level of disregard. Every dollar spent on these unnecessary by-elections is a dollar stolen from the future. A country already choking under debt, corruption, and poverty should not be forced to fund the political survival of those who caused the crisis in the first place.

What Zimbabwe needs is leadership, not more manipulation. We need investment in public services, not inflated electoral budgets. We need a government that listens, not one that loots. Zimbabweans are tired of the lies, tired of the false hope, and tired of being used.

As we move closer to February 3, let this be a moment of reflection for the people of Zimbabwe. Let it be a time to demand answers. Why are lives being lost while money is spent on politics? Why are roads impassable while rallies are fully funded? Why is the vote more important than the voice of the people?

The regime may control the ballot box, but it cannot silence the truth. The people see the priorities. They see who benefits and who suffers. And they will remember.

Zimbabwe deserves better. Not just fair elections—but hospitals that work, roads that are safe, and leaders who put the people first. Until then, every by-election will be nothing more than a distraction from a collapsing nation, and a painful reminder of how far we’ve been led astray.