mbulelo smpofu
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 as well as on various social media platforms. What is clear is that whoever is responsible for such narratives has very malicious intentions against my party. Malicious entities have seen it fit to misinform and dis-inform the world. Zanu-PF has, in recent weeks been vilified by peddlers of fake news. There seem to be great efforts that have been placed towards depicting Zanu-PF as something that it is not. Zanu-PF is not the big bad wolf as portrayed by the malicious elements.
It seems the whole aim of this latest exercise and onslaught is to destabilise the region and taint our relations with our neighbours and fellow sister parties. Such dirty tactics are unacceptable. While self-expression is indeed a right that is enjoyed by many, such a right must be exercised with due consideration and should not be detrimental to 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. While indeed it is a well-known fact that, Zanu-PF is a juggernaut, the attempt to sully our Party’s good name is a cause for concern. Could it be that, Zanu-PF is indeed the big bad wolf that strikes fear right at the heart of the enemy? I’m inclined to believe so, as Zanu-PF has never shied away from poking the hornet’s nest in attempts to reverse colonial imbalances and injustices. It is this daring attitude that has Zanu-PF being frowned upon by those who do not wish to see Africa prosper.
The idea 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 Zanu-PF possibly influence the said elections? The math does not add up. Those who have been pushing this narrative have at this point been unable to produce any tangible evidence save for some imagined speculation about Zanu-PF’s supposed clandestine activities in the elections within the region. In any case, if we are to be truthful, if indeed Zanu-PF had had something to do with these elections as purported, then I’m certain some of the outcomes in these countries would have been different.
Our enemies will never admit that Zanu-PF is a force to reckon with in the SADC region 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 Zanu-PF has in terms of turning the tide due to its massive following among the people of the region. The only way they have devised to try and curtail Zanu-PF’s influence is through lies, misinformation and disinformation. Some of the concoctions being brewed by anti-Zanu-PF proponents is so ridiculous and unbelievable and are blatantly false. I for one have been accused of being in Namibia, meddling in that country’s elections, yet I’ve been in the comfort of my rural home in Nyamandlovu enjoying quality time with my family, especially the grandkids. Lies have very short legs. There will come a time where the great lie being peddled will not hold any water anymore.
To think that Zanu-PF has the time and resources to meddle in elections in other SADC countries is just sheer hyperbolic exaggeration. Then again, we should not be too surprised by such machinations coming from our detractors. The opposition in these parts have been known for fabricating all manner of stories to make up for their shortcomings and failures.
The script has been the same, up until now. Their widely used approach in previous times, was to cry foul and make some ridiculous and absurd accusations about election processes not being free and fair and the like. They have realised that such a narrative has gone stale and cannot be seen to be true from the eyes of the people, and as a result they have thus decided to drag Zanu-PF’s good name into their failures. Our detractors are fully aware that the Zanu-PF name commands a large following, so in order to gain some form of attention, they just had to unnecessarily mention the colossal people’s party. In their ploy, they made one slight miscalculation, people have the ability to discern fact from hogwash. 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 Zanu-PF’s good name and good standing within the region. Truth is, Zanu-PF is a widely respected Party across the continent, the world even. This is attributed to Zanu-PF’s unwavering pan-Africanist ideology which has seen my Party play a prominent role in championing the cause of the African. We are pro-African and we would never sacrifice the belief in total emancipation of our people.
Our people should be wary of narratives that seek to misinform and mislead them. They should regret these ploys by the neo-colonialists to sow divisions among 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.
ν Dr Obert Moses Mpofu is an academic and the Secretary-General of Zanu-PF. He writes in his own capacity.
Online Reporter
