On this day in 2017, Zimbabwe was filled with joy and hope. The streets were alive with people singing, dancing, and holding signs that called for Robert Mugabe to step down. After nearly four decades of his rule, the people believed the end had come. The army had stepped in, ZANU-PF was ready to fire him, and impeachment was on the table. For many Zimbabweans, it felt like freedom had finally arrived.

We were wrong.

What we thought was a turning point became a dead end. We replaced one dictator with another. Emmerson Mnangagwa walked in with promises of change, but he gave us more of the same. Some say he gave us worse.

Back in 2017, Mnangagwa spoke the language of hope. He said he would fix the economy, end corruption, and hold free elections. We called him “ED” and believed he would lead us into a new era. But we failed to ask the most important question: was he really different from Mugabe?

The answer was right in front of us. Mnangagwa had stood beside Mugabe for years. He was part of the same system we wanted to destroy. His hands were not clean. His name is tied to some of the darkest days in our history, including the Gukurahundi massacres of the 1980s. We ignored that. We were too desperate to care.

Once Mnangagwa took power, the mask quickly fell. The soldiers who had removed Mugabe were now used to silence protestors. People were beaten, arrested, and even disappeared for speaking out. Journalists were jailed. Opposition leaders were harassed. Human rights were thrown aside.

The economy did not improve. It got worse. Prices went up. Salaries lost value. Jobs disappeared. Basic goods like bread, fuel, and medicine became luxuries. Families are struggling to survive. Mnangagwa’s promise to open Zimbabwe for business turned out to be a lie.

And then came the elections. In 2018 and again in 2023, Mnangagwa claimed victory. But these elections were not fair. They were full of fear, violence, and cheating. State resources were used to campaign for ZANU-PF. The police and army were used to intimidate voters. Election observers were blocked or ignored. The results were already decided before voting even began.

So, what happened to the hope we felt in 2017?

We made a mistake. We were so happy to see Mugabe go that we didn’t think clearly about who was replacing him. We believed anyone would be better. But we learned a painful truth: removing one dictator doesn’t guarantee freedom. Sometimes, it opens the door for another.

This is Zimbabwe’s hard lesson. But it is not the end of our story.

Zimbabweans are strong. We have suffered, but we have not given up. We can still fight for the future we want. A future with real freedom. A future with leaders who serve the people — not themselves. A future where the government works for everyone, not just for a few powerful families.

As we remember November 2017, let us also remember what we were fighting for. We wanted change. We wanted fairness. We wanted a better life. That dream is still alive. But we must be smarter, braver, and more united than ever before.

We must learn from our past. We must not repeat the same mistake. Next time, we must choose leaders based on values, not promises. We must demand action, not just words.

Zimbabwe deserves better. And the people of Zimbabwe — the real heroes of this country — must keep fighting until we get it. The dream is not dead. It is waiting. Let us rise and make it real.