SIMBA RUSHWAYA
The just ended 2018 harmonised elections were just about social media as virtually everyone joined the frenzy, including President-elect Emmerson Mnangagwa.
Powered by youths who are tech-savvy, social media became the source of news before, during and after elections, but most notably misleading news. In fact, misleading or fake news is one of the pitfalls of social media.
Departing from his predecessor Robert Mugabe who was an enigma, President Mnangagwa got out of his shell as soon as he assumed presidency and became an instant phenomenon on the platform through Facebook and Twitter.
A battalion of Zanu Pf youths calling themselves “Varakashi” invaded Facebook, Twitter and WhatsApp platforms heaping praises on President Mnangagwa with the popular signature “ED Pfee” while using #EDhasmyVote to mobilise voters for the veteran leader who later romped to a 50,8 percent victory over his closest rival Nelson Chamisa of the MDC Alliance.
Chamisa himself was all over the show on the same platform with his “Chamisa Chete Chete” war cry, while his youths christened “The Vanguard” were in overdrive on social media.
Journalists sometimes did not have to go and interview the protagonists of the plebiscites, but largely depended and still depend on what they say on their Twitter handles or Facebook pages.
Most of the House of Assembly aspirants notably Norton MP Temba Mliswa, use social media to communicate with their constituency and the rest of the world.
President Mnangagwa, taking a leaf from other heads of states around the world, flew into the new phenomenon regardless of the ripple effects it attracts. Zimbabwean citizens directly spoke to their leader and in some cases insulting him.
Just after the death of six people who were shot in the aftermath of elections, “ED” as he is affectionately known, posted on his Facebook page, a message about how voting had been conducted in a peaceful manner, while blasting the violence that followed.
Part of the message read: “The violence that followed was regrettable and tragic. There is no place for violence in our society, and allegations of further incidents concern us all,” to which one Bro Midjeck retorted, “But how do you sleep at night knowing very well you and ZEC manipulated election results. Only witches can do that.”
Not during the Mugabe era! Following the arrest of Harare East elect MP Tendai Biti on allegations of inciting violence recently, Chamisa wrote this to his 329 000 followers on Twitter.
“The persecution of leaders Tendai Biti, Komichi (Morgen), Chidziva (Happymore) and other party officials by the state is unjustified and unacceptable. I raised this matter with President Cyril Ramaphosa (South Africa) whom we count on to persuade the perpetrators to halt this unmerited persecution. The weak terrorise!”
Welcome to the new world order. While politicians are using social media as a platform to air their views, the same cannot be said about the general public who sometimes use the same medium to give misleading information and malice.
Some people now resort to using pseudonyms and attack their opponents. A case in point is one Matigari who has caused a storm on Twitter. Matigari says he is a “human rights defender, lawyer, farmer, businessman, crypto maniac, lover of things,” and posts controversial tweets about politicians and politics.
Political analyst Takura Zhangazha said the social media is now a permanent fixture of Zimbabwe’s political battleground as is increasingly the case across the world.
“And again, as is the case in every country that lays claim to being democratic, its use for political mobilisation processes escalates during election campaigns,” Zhangazha said.
“Social media platforms such as Twitter, Facebook and WhatsApp apart from being sources of information have become purveyors of a great deal more political opinion, innuendo, bias and activism.”
Social analyst Patson Dzamara said social media is very powerful citing what happened during the Arab Spring, an uprising triggered by social media in countries such as Tunisia, Egypt and Libya.
“We must never underestimate the power of social media. Social media can only be ignored at one’s own peril. There is absolutely no doubt that even though it was not going to be the primary determinant of the polls’ outcome, it was an important tributary,” Dzamara said.
Cellphone penetration rate in Zimbabwe is around 85 percent which means that all old enough Zimbabweans possess a cellphone or have access to one. Internet penetration rate is hovering slightly above 50 percent meaning approximately 50 percent of Zimbabweans have access to and utilise internet for various reasons.
