Enticing ‘mega crowds’ into attending rallies with food is self-defeating!

Those who follow you around, simply because you buy them alcohol, are seldom your true friends.

The day the tap runs dry, and the booze stops flowing, is the day all those ‘fair weather friends’ will also dry off!

This scenario is not just limited to drinking circles, but in all spheres of life, whereby money and other materialistic desires are involved.

I am sure those men who were ‘lady magnets’ during their heyday, learnt the hard way when all this attention suddenly fizzled out, once the cash disappeared.

Dangling worldly goods and pleasures in order to find affection, it is purely artificial and fake – which is solely dependent on the continued availability of the desired material.

It is never about the person providing or dishing out these things.

Those receiving do not care about him at all.

That is a fact of life that I would have expected every human being to grasp – more so, those who have experienced a long life on this planet.

As such, it baffles the mind when I witness political parties seeking to attract ‘mega crowds’ at their campaign rallies, through the use of food, handouts and entertainment.

This is especially so with the ruling ZANU PF – which has been boasting of tens of thousands of supposed ‘supporters’ attending its rallies – particularly as the country heads towards the 23^rd August harmonized elections.

I find myself asking, ‘so does the party sincerely believe that all these people – who are clearly there only for the free food, handouts and the occasion entertainment – genuinely love ZANU PF’?

In fact, were disturbing, and even comical, scenes not observed a week ago in UMP (Uzumba Maramba Pfungwe) – with crowds scrambling for food, and thereafter immediately leaving the venue?

All this, whilst President Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa was still delivering his speech!

Surely, was this not enough evidence that all those ‘thousands’ did not care even a bit for Mnangagwa (and his party), and what he had to say?

This incident only exposed the dire poverty afflicting the majority of Zimbabweans – who regard these rallies as an opportunity to ward off gnawing hunger – if only for a few hours.

In fact, there is absolutely nothing to boast about for the ruling party in these ‘mega crowds’ – but the ruling elite should be terribly ashamed for creating a nation of hungry impoverished people.

I am sure that if I also promised people free food at my house – hundreds would be by my gate way before sunrise!

Let me also hasten to add that, based on countless communication I have been receiving from readers of my articles in rural areas – most of the people attending these rallies are actually being forced into doing so (usually by local traditional and ZANU PF leaders).

I am told of registers of people residing in particular areas being marked to ensure that everyone boarded availed busses to the rally venue.

It is worth noting that these so-called ‘supporters’ would not even be travelling to nearby places for the ZANU PF gatherings – but transported hundreds of kilometers all across the country.

In fact, had there been a meticulous scrutiny of the faces present at these rallies – possibly using AI (artificial intelligence) face recognition software – it would not be surprising at all discovering that most of the people were the same at each and every rally, no matter where in Zimbabwe it was held.

I ask again, ‘what do Mnangagwa and ZANU PF strive to accomplish using such tactics’?

Granted, these ‘mega crowds’ are a great pleasure for the eyes of ZANU PF leaders, and also work magnificently for the sake of optics.

Then what?

After all the free food, handouts and music galas – do Mnangagwa and his party genuinely believe this will translate into real votes in the polling booth?

Is that type of thinking simply not the height of self-deception?

Does ZANU PF actually think people will similarly flood ‘in their thousands and thousands’ – as with the rallies – to cast their votes for the party?

What incentive do they have for doing that – considering that the main thing that drove them to the rallies was the expectation of free food, handouts and entertainment?

Is Mnangagwa and ZANU PF going to offer more of the same for those who go and vote?

Even so, what guarantee will they have that those who cast their ballots, actually voted for Mnangagwa and his party – since this process is meant to be a private matter?

It is not as if one leaves the polling station with evidence of whom he elected!

Furthermore, there is the large population of those being frog-marched to these rallies.

No one wants to be forced into doing anything.

Has ZANU PF already forgetting what transpired during the early years of the liberation struggle in the 1960s and 70s – when the party resorted to press ganging youth, especially in rural areas, into joining the war?

Did these boys and girls – most abducted from their schools or villages – not desert the war as soon as they were deployed back to the country?

I am sure these young people ended up resenting and hating the liberation cause.

If there is one monumental mistake ZANU PF is making, it is forcing people into attending its rallies or even supporting the party.

There are also those being threatened of losing the so-called ‘empowerment projects’ they benefited from the party – in most cases, street vendors – should they not attend.

As already stated, all these ill-conceived moves only breed and fester bitterness – which can border on loathing.

Is it, then, any wonder why there is seldom any of the customary wild cheering and ululating, whenever the president is speaking, which is usually associated with such gatherings?

Does this not point to the utter boredom and disinterest of the people gathering?

These are the people who will pretend to be unflinching ZANU PF faithful – out of fear and hunger – yet when it matters most, turn their backs on the party.

From this discourse, it is undeniable that what the ruling party is doing is self-defeating and is anchored on political immaturity.

Yes, sitting on the podium and watching that ocean of people is quite impressive and gratifying for the eyes.

However, this is myopic and deluded, to say the least.

It is not different from that guy who has crowds following him around, as he buys them beer.

If he seriously thinks those same people will come to his side in his hour of need, then he needs his head urgently examined!

• Tendai Ruben Mbofana is a social justice advocate and writer. Please feel free to WhatsApp or Call: +263715667700 | +263782283975, or email: mbofana.tendairuben73@gmail.com, or visit website: http://mbofanatendairuben.news.blog/