shloboe boe
They colonised Africa from the late 1800s and governed with iron fists for a century while looting its resources.
With the support of the former Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, China, Cuba, Yugoslavia and a few others, Africans fought to liberate themselves. In sub-Saharan Africa, Ghana was the first to regain independence in March 1957 with South Africa closing that chapter in April 1994.
No words can describe the sense of triumph we have over those milestones.
However, what most nations achieved was political independence, not economic independence. The former colonial masters — Britain, Italy, Germany and Portugal — and others such as the US which while not having been colonisers, benefited from that autocracy, maintained their stranglehold on African economies.
To achieve that, they sponsored coups to install their puppets or influenced elections to ensure that their preferred candidates won. Furthermore, they formed and funded civic bodies that purport to promote
“human rights and democracy” in Africa. That way, the colonial system of government effectively remained.
A year before the turn of the millennium, the former colonialists targeted our country for illegal regime change. It has been a real onslaught which showed in the formation in 1999 and generous sponsorship of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) to challenge Zanu-PF, imposition of sanctions without UN backing, formation and generous funding of civic bodies to amplify MDC positions and vilification of former President Robert Mugabe, his party Zanu-PF, his administration and the country in general.
The Western goal, which extended through to the Second Republic, is to create conditions for the overthrow of the party but it has fought valiantly for 24 years and remains in power.
Indeed, Zanu-PF and Zimbabwe have become the reference point of post-colonial resistance against imperialism and the sustenance of the African interest.
Recent elections in the region have reminded those who had forgotten that the imperial powers still want liberation movements out.
They plotted against the African National Congress in South Africa in the May election and almost succeeded. They tried it against Frelimo in Mozambique in early October but failed spectacularly after that revolutionary party won the election by more than 70 percent. They mobilised against the Botswana Democratic Party later that month and succeeded.
They targeted the South West African People’s Organisation of Namibia but failed after the party retained power with 57 percent of the November 27 vote.
As campaigning went on in the four countries, Zanu-PF featured prominently as if the party was directly involved. Every opposition party made the most malicious allegation that Zanu-PF was “meddling” in their elections yet the revolutionary movement was only expressing solidarity with its peers.
Zanu-PF has made its position clear that it is not meddlesome but it is clear that parties pitted against revolutionary movements in the region know the profound influence, strength and political tact that the ruling party wields having fought a good fight since 1999.
We urge the Former Liberation Movements of Southern Africa and their peoples to intensify their collaboration against resurging Western pressure
Theirs is a just cause and just causes always prevail.
mbulelo smpofu
