Source: Why Zanu PF is in panic mode – The Standard
Zanu PF is fretting over its recent slump in popularity and that of other former liberation movements in the southern African region, which it blames it on the West.
According to the central committee report tabled at the party’s national people’s conference held in Mutare recently, Zanu PF organs expressed concern over the alleged “regime change machinations” in the region targeting the former liberation movements.
Liberation movements including Chama Cha Mapinduzi (Tanzania), Unip (Zambia) and Botswana Democratic Party have fallen into oblivion after falling short at the polls.
The members of the Former Liberation Movements of Southern Africa (FLMSA), a loosely organised regional political international of seven political parties, were involved in the African nationalist movements against colonialism and white-minority rule in the region.
The parties, whose original members are the African National Congress (South Africa), CCM, Frelimo (Mozambique), the MPLA (Angola), SWAPO (Namibia), and Zanu PF, have their roots in the Frontline States.
The Frontline States formed a loose coalition of African countries from the 1960s to the early 1990s committed to ending apartheid and white minority rule in South Africa and Rhodesia.
It has since been joined by several other countries from the Southern African region to form the Southern African Development Community (Sadc).
However, parties such as ANC, Frelimo Swapo and Zanu PF have faced unprecedented challenges from emerging political parties threatening their grip on power.
The ANC has been forced into a coalition with the Democratic Alliance and other small parties after failing to win a majority in the recent election.
In Mozambique, Frelimo candidate Daniel Chapo’s victory was challenged leading to widespread protests while Swapo is barely maintaining dominance in Namibia.
According to the central committee report, Zanu PF national chairman Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri held an interface meeting with provincial chairmen of the party, who raised various concerns on the state of the party.
“The need for cohesion, unity and discipline in the party, acknowledging relentless disturbing regime change machinations in the southern African region in general and former liberation movements in particular,” the report said.
The report indicated that the department of national security in the ruling party revealed that Zanu PF has been cooperating well with its “fraternal sister parties of the liberation with strong bonds continuously being cemented with the six sister parties under the liberation movements banner”.
“This forum has called for greater cooperation in the face of increasing attempts to unseat liberation movements from the government in their respective countries,” the report said.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa has been under fire for allegedly interfering in neighbouring countries elections after he allegedly sent party officials to former Botswana president Mokgweetsi Masisi during his campaign.
He was subsequently beaten in the polls.
Zimbabweans also came under the spotlight after they allegedly voted in the Mozambican elections leading to an outcry from opposition parties in that country.
Most of these issues were raised when Mnangagwa was holding the rotational Sadc chairmanship since September last year.
The post Why Zanu PF is in panic mode appeared first on Zimbabwe Situation.