In an outrageous and unprecedented scandal, Zimbabwe’s already fragile democracy has been shaken to its core. The Federation of Zimbabwean Administrators (FAZ), an outfit long accused of political manipulation, has been caught red-handed fielding double candidates under the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) during the nomination process for the 2023 elections. What many feared has finally been confirmed – Zimbabwe’s elections are not just under threat. They are being actively sabotaged.
This was not a clerical error. This was not a mistake. It was a well-planned act of fraud.
The nomination process is supposed to be sacred in any democracy. It is the stage where aspiring leaders step forward to be examined by the people they hope to serve. But what happened instead was a grotesque display of political trickery. FAZ deliberately submitted two sets of candidates claiming to be from the CCC – a move clearly designed to cause confusion, split votes, and damage the party’s credibility from within.
It is the first time in the country’s political history that such a scandal has occurred on this scale. The implications are dire.
The Citizens Coalition for Change – the most viable opposition to ZANU PF’s decades-long rule – now finds itself under attack not only from external repression but also from this kind of underhanded infiltration. The objective was clear: disorient the electorate, delegitimize genuine candidates, and destabilize the CCC’s structure ahead of a critical election.
And the reaction from the public? Outrage. Fury. Disbelief. But most of all, fear – fear that the democratic space in Zimbabwe is not just shrinking, but being buried alive.
This is more than just a political scandal. It’s a direct assault on the people’s right to choose their leaders. By planting fake candidates, FAZ has attempted to dilute real opposition. In doing so, they have essentially spat on the Constitution, the Electoral Act, and every Zimbabwean who still believes that elections should mean something.
The question now is: Who will be held accountable? Will the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) act? Will Parliament intervene? Or will the usual culture of impunity protect the perpetrators, allowing them to continue this destruction unpunished?
What’s even more disturbing is that this was done in plain sight. The forgery, the duplicity, the manipulation – all carried out with such boldness that it’s clear FAZ believed they could get away with it. And why wouldn’t they? Zimbabwe has become a nation where corruption is rewarded, and impunity is protected.
The path forward must be clear: there must be an independent investigation. Every official who participated in or approved the double nomination must face justice. Zimbabweans must demand full transparency from both ZEC and FAZ. This scandal must not be buried in bureaucracy or forgotten in the noise of campaign rallies.
Furthermore, Zimbabwe urgently needs electoral reform. The nomination and vetting process must be restructured. Third-party organisations with political affiliations, like FAZ, must be banned from having any administrative role in the election process. Only a clean, accountable electoral system can restore the people’s faith in democracy.
This is a defining moment. Zimbabwe is on the brink. The integrity of our elections is being shredded before our eyes. But if we remain silent, then we become complicit. The time to act is now.
FAZ has committed an electoral sin. The people of Zimbabwe must not forgive it – and the system must never forget it.