NEIGHBOURS South Africa held another successful election this week and Zimbabwe has a lot of lessons to learn from the relatively young democracy.
South Africa only gained independence in 1994, but its achievements on the democracy front easily dwarf Zimbabwe, which became free in 1980.
Our neighbours have seen at least two elected presidents come and go during that short history. Zimbabwe is still being served by the first leader of the republic.
The latest polls had all the hallmarks of a democracy that is maturing and the ruling African National Congress (ANC) deserves a pat on the back.
Wednesday’s elections came five months after the death of founding president, the iconic Nelson Mandela and had a lot of emotional significance to many South Africans.
ANC, the party of liberation, has refused to live up to the billing of typical African liberation movements that see themselves as ordained to rule forever, simply because of their role in the liberation struggle.
The South African opposition parties, some with very close links to the old apartheid order, were allowed to campaign freely and there were no reports of rallies being banned or politicians being arrested for challenging the ruling party.
Unlike Zimbabwe where political violence can flare up almost a year after an election, the South African poll campaign period was largely peaceful.
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The voters’ roll was readily available to anyone who wanted it as long as they satisfied South African laws.
As a result, we are unlikely to see any challenge to the result of the poll or the legitimacy of the new government.
Indeed, Zimbabwe has a lot to learn from South Africa and Zanu PF, which claims strong ties with the ANC, must use the just concluded polls as a yardstick on how far they have taken Zimbabwe.
Only credible elections can open the doors to a country’s prosperity and it is as simple as that.
