Why is it Never a Good Idea to Encourage General Uprising

By Dr Masimba Mavaza

As the nation navigates in the fears of uncertainty about the out come of the demonstrations the reality is that the benefits of such actions has always been difficult to see. However what is certain is that there will be loss of life and injury which will be highly unnecessary. It brings about trauma for both participants and onlookers. It has always been a wrong belief that demonstrations need to be violent. Violence then triggers the law enforcement to react with more force than the force generated by the demonstrators.

Demonstrations causes untold suffering to the nation as it hits the wheels of economy. Many people will lose hours of work. There will serious economic disruption country wide. The mere mention of demonstration sends ripples of fear and shakes the very foundations of the economy. Cross border businesses will suffer more as transporters will be afraid to risk their lorries and vans. Most demonstrations are violent and will end up in the destruction of property leading to serious economic repercussions.

A demonstration needs a clear plan otherwise it will create a dangerous power vacuum,leading to instability, chaos, and potentially regional political conflict.
The worst of all the land will be gripped with uncertainty and surely it will be enveloped in instability. This will have long and far reaching consequences
making it difficult for citizens, businesses, and international partners to plan for the future.
The powers that be will also demonstrate their ability to execute precise authoritarian backlash leading to serious human rights abused. We will all stand in blood saying ” I told you so.”

The most scary possibility is that demonstrations do not always represent the views and interests of all citizens, potentially leading to a new government that does not reflect the diversity of the population. We need to have a proper end game to avoid headaches. Waking up in bed with a vampire is a reality of demonstrations.
The infrastructure which has been built on a lot of investments will be damaged this will include buildings roads and even utilities.

With tribal lines drawn unapologetically this will exacerbate existing social and political divisions, leading to increased polarization and decreased social cohesion.

We however must not forget that there are potential benefits of removing a government through demonstrations and to consider alternative, more peaceful, and more inclusive means of driving political change.Removing a government through demonstrations can set several problematic precedents.

Regardless of our thoughts we must be careful not to normalize violence as a means of achieving political goals, potentially leading to further instability and conflict.

I fail to see how democratic institutions can be born out of undemocratic means.

Bypassing democratic institutions and processes can erode their legitimacy and effectiveness, potentially undermining the rule of law and democratic governance.

This is not what we wish for our country.

We must be careful that glorifying demonstrations to bring political outcomes can create a culture of mob rule, where the loudest and most aggressive voices prevail, rather than the rule of law and democratic processes. At the moment the loudest and the talkative are steering the waters.

Zimbabwe must be worried about creating a culture of impunity where the law is disregarded.
Where a person can publicly tell the nation that a constitution is just a paper and can be torn into pieces.
Already we are having travel warnings against Zimbabwe. We are doing this to us.

We must never forget that removing a government through demonstrations can set a precedent for future unrests potentially encouraging others to use similar tactics to achieve their political goals. The circle is ugly and will not end.

As we get into tomorrow we must remember that These precedents can have long-lasting and far-reaching consequences for the country, its citizens, and its democratic institutions.

ZIMBABWE is the ONLY COUNTRY we can call ours in the whole world.