‘2023 is likely to be the country’s worst election for the next 15 years’: Nic Cheeseman

0Shares

Nicholas Cheeseman, a Professor of Democracy at the University of Birmingham and author of “How to Rig an Election,” has written an extensive article examining how Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa is now operating in default mode, employing autocratic tactics to make sure he maintains his grip on power.

Mnangagwa who grabbed power through a military coup that ousted former leader Robert Mugabe in November 2017 before winning the 2018 election under controversial circumstances, will be the ruling Zanu-PF party candidate again this year.

With the plebiscite set to be held in five months time, observers are anticipating a violent election.

Cheeseman, in an article titled ‘When Zimbabwe stops pretending to be a democracy‘, argues that “2023 is likely to be the country’s worst election for the next 15 years”.

The prominent political scientist and author further stated that one of the reasons why Mnangagwa would be suspending democracy is his failure to fulfill the promises he made to the people of Zimbabwe after assuming power.

“The squalid autocracy that President Mnangagwa presides over couldn’t be more different from the Zimbabwe he promised to create. Ahead of the 2018 general election, Mnangagwa pledged to usher in a new period of democracy and development distinguished by “free and fair” elections.