This may shock ZANU-PF, but Zimbabweans genuinely love those who stand up for them

There are some truths that can not be ignored. The outrage from ZANU-PF supporters following ZiFM’s announcement of renowned lawyer and political activist Fadzayi Mahere as “Zimbabwean of the Year” is as revealing as it is predictable.

The accusations have come thick and fast—claims that the award is “unpatriotic,” “anti-state,” “rigged,” or part of some sinister agenda.

Yet, in all this noise and anger, what these critics spectacularly fail to understand is a simple and inconvenient truth: this was a people’s choice.

It was arrived at through a public voting process, no different from the countless radio polls Zimbabweans regularly participate in, including voting for top songs of the year.

What seems to trouble ZANU-PF apologists most is not the integrity of the process, but the outcome.

They simply cannot reconcile themselves with the fact that ordinary Zimbabweans would overwhelmingly choose someone who openly questions power, exposes corruption, and speaks for the suffering majority.

In their worldview, patriotism is measured by unquestioning loyalty to the ruling elite, not by loyalty to the people of Zimbabwe.

That is where they go fundamentally wrong.

Zimbabwe today is a country riddled with corruption, impunity, and elite plunder.

Millions have been pushed into grinding poverty, not by sanctions or imaginary enemies, but by decades of misgovernance, looting, and deliberate neglect of public institutions.

In such an environment, any brave voice that speaks truth to power and consistently stands with the oppressed and marginalised naturally earns respect, admiration, and love from ordinary citizens.

That is precisely why Fadzayi Mahere resonates so deeply with so many Zimbabweans.

The fact that she was voted “Zimbabwean of the Year” should not shock anyone who understands the lived realities of this country.

According to statistics from established global institutions, nearly 80 percent of Zimbabweans live in poverty.

These are the people who queue for hours at public hospitals with no drugs, no equipment, and demoralised staff.

These are the parents whose children attend schools without books, furniture, or qualified teachers.

These are workers whose wages are wiped out by inflation before the month even begins.

Why would anyone be surprised that such a population would rally behind someone who gives voice to their pain and demands accountability on their behalf?

Who would not admire someone who dares to question dubious tenderpreneurs about how they acquired multi-million-dollar public contracts, what they actually delivered—if anything at all—and what happened to the advance payments they received from the state?

Who would not appreciate someone who exposes the deplorable conditions in our public hospitals and schools, where thousands die needlessly and an entire generation’s future is being systematically destroyed, while a small political and business elite wallows in obscene wealth?

If that is not patriotism, then one must seriously ask what is.

There is nothing patriotic about defending corruption.

There is nothing patriotic about attacking those who expose looting.

There is nothing patriotic about equating loyalty to a political party with loyalty to the nation.

True patriotism lies in defending the country and its people against self-serving elites who have captured the state for personal enrichment while the majority struggle to feed their families and send their children to school.

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By that measure, voices like Fadzayi Mahere’s are among the most patriotic Zimbabwe has.

I may not be as prominent or influential as Fadzayi Mahere, but I know one thing for certain: ordinary suffering Zimbabweans deeply appreciate those who speak for them.

Because I include my contact details in my articles, I experience this reality daily.

There is nothing more humbling and fulfilling than receiving countless messages, emails, and phone calls from ordinary citizens—some expressing appreciation for the work I do, others desperately seeking help with injustices they are facing.

These interactions are a constant reminder that speaking truth to power matters, even when it brings no financial reward.

In fact, this work has never paid me even a single cent.

Yet I continue because it feels like a calling—a duty to give hope to the poor and the suffering.

It reassures me that integrity still has value in this country, even if it is not rewarded by the powerful.

And I can say with confidence that the ZANU-PF trolls now frothing at the mouth over Fadzayi Mahere’s award will never experience this kind of genuine appreciation from ordinary Zimbabweans.

If I am lying, I challenge these ZANU-PF trolls to put their phone numbers on their social media platforms so that we can see what kind of messages and phone calls they receive from ordinary Zimbabweans.

What is certain is that Zvigananda receive messages from desperate and impoverished Zimbabweans hoping for handouts.

These people are driven by poverty and hunger—conditions they fully know were caused largely by the same Zvigananda—yet desperation forces them to beg for crumbs anyway.

This is not love; it is desperation.

This also explains why, although someone like Wicknell Chivayo was shortlisted, he lost the vote to Fadzayi Mahere.

Zimbabweans have suffered enough.

They are tired of vulgar displays of wealth by individuals whose riches are inseparable from state patronage and corruption.

They are yearning for hope—hope for a Zimbabwe where everyone is equal before the law and where the country’s abundant resources benefit all, not a connected few.

The anger directed at ZiFM and at Fadzayi Mahere is therefore not about patriotism or process.

It is about fear.

Fear of the people’s voice.

Fear of accountability.

Fear of the uncomfortable truth that, despite propaganda and intimidation, Zimbabweans still admire courage, integrity, and compassion.

They still honour those who stand up for them.

This may indeed shock ZANU-PF, but it is a reality they can no longer wish away: Zimbabweans genuinely love those who speak for them, defend them, and refuse to be silent in the face of injustice.

That is why Fadzayi Mahere is “Zimbabwean of the Year.”

And no amount of online outrage will change that simple fact.

● 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: https://mbofanatendairuben.news.blog/

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