Ruling party the big bad wolf?

Dr Obert Moses Mpofu

I AM not quite sure what to make of the false narratives that are being peddled by dubious characters in both hostile mainstream media and social media. 

What is clear is that whoever is responsible for such narratives has very malicious intentions against my party. ZANU PF is not the big bad wolf as is being portrayed in the hostile media. 

It seems the whole aim of this latest onslaught is to destabilise the Southern Africa region and taint relations with our neighbours and sister parties. 

Such dirty tactics are unacceptable. Whilst self-expression is a right enjoyed by many, it must be exercised with due consideration and should not infringe on the image or interests of others. 

The depiction of ZANU PF and some of its top officials such as myself in the current media onslaught is quite telling. 

Whilst it is a well-known fact that ZANU PF is a juggernaut, attempts to sully its good name is cause for concern. Could it be that ZANU PF is indeed the big bad wolf that strikes fear in the hearts of the enemy?

I am inclined to believe so, for the party has never shied away from poking the hornet’s nest in attempts to reverse colonial injustices. 

It is this daring attitude that has made the party a target of those who do not wish to see Africa prosper. The allegation that ZANU PF has been meddling in elections in other countries within the region is simply untrue. In what capacity and in what ways could it possibly influence the said polls? Those who have been pushing this narrative have been unable to produce any tangible evidence to support this claim. 

Our enemies will never admit that ZANU PF is a force to reckon with in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) in defending liberation movements that are under siege from Western elements fighting to control the region using opposition parties. 

They truly know the level of influence that the party has in terms of turning the tide due to its massive following amongst the people of the region. The only way they have tried to curtail the influence of this liberation movement has been through lies, misinformation and disinformation. Some of the fake news being brewed is ridiculous, unbelievable and blatantly false. 

I, for one, have been accused of being in Namibia to meddle in that country’s elections, yet I have been in the comfort of my rural home in Nyamandlovu, enjoying quality time with my family, especially the grandkids. 

Lies indeed have very short legs. 

Then again, we should not be too surprised by such machinations from our detractors. 

The opposition have been known for fabricating all manner of stories to make up for their shortcomings and failures. Their widely used approach was to cry wolf and make some ridiculous and absurd accusations about electoral processes not being free and fair. 

They have realised that such a narrative has gone stale and, as a result, they have decided to drag ZANU PF’s good name into their failures. They know full well that the ruling party commands a large following, so in order to gain some form of attention, they ended up mentioning it. 

But they made one slight miscalculation: People have the ability to tell fact from fiction. 

The narrative being peddled is clearly false and the majority of people with an open mind have already seen this. 

Our enemies will go to great lengths to soil our party’s good name and standing in the region. 

Truth is, ZANU PF is a widely respected party across the continent, the world even, because of its unwavering Pan-Africanist ideology, which has seen it play a prominent role in championing the cause of the African. 

We are pro-African, and we will never sacrifice the belief in the total emancipation of our people. 

Our people should be wary of narratives that seek to misinform and mislead them. 

These are ploys by neo-colonialists to sow divisions amongst us. 

We should remain progressive and reject any and all forms of neo-colonialist tendencies. 

Their latest antics have clearly shown how much they are afraid of the big bad wolf that is ZANU PF.

Dr Obert Moses Mpofu is an academic and the Secretary-General of ZANU PF. He writes in his personal capacity.