Call for tougher action on Zanu-PF factionalism

FORMER liberation movements in Southern Africa have identified factionalism as their biggest enemy and are proposing that they should all establish radio stations and newspapers that will inculcate a revolutionary ideology among the populace.

The liberation movements are also proposing tough disciplinary actions against those perpetrating factionalism. In addition, the liberation movements are proposing robust ideological schooling for their members and fully exploiting new technologies to engender social cohesion and responsible information sharing. These proposals were adopted by secretaries-generals of former liberation movements at their annual indaba in Angola last week, and now await ratification.

The meeting identified factionalism as "the Number One threat" to revolutionary parties, and resolved to counteract the scourge with stringent disciplinary action and ideological schooling. The ruling former liberation movements in Southern Africa include Zanu-PF, the African National Congress (South Africa), Frelimo (Mozambique), Swapo (Namibia), MPLA (Angola) and Chama Cha Mapinduzi (Tanzania). Zanu-PF Secretary for Administration Dr Ignatius Chombo who was part of the interface told our Harare Bureau that the secretaries-generals would table the proposals before their superiors. He said,

"The secretaries-general made the following recommendations:

'1. That former liberation movements institute tough disciplinary measures along with strong ideological grounding under the auspices of political party ideological schools and national youth service. 2. That former liberation movements should apply innovative media and information strategies which make full use of available technological advancements. 3. That former liberation movements should institute measures to eliminate the use of money or other material enticements in influencing outcomes of internal electoral processes. 4. That former liberation movements carry out focused political orientation programmes targeting youths — both members and non-members — to inculcate correct ideologies and a sense of belonging.

5. That former liberation movements create ways and mechanisms to share ideas with each other.'"

The meeting also recommended: "6. That former liberation movements establish daily newspapers, radio stations and establish a meaningful presence on the Internet. 7. That former liberation movements should study new weather patterns in order to align with agricultural seasons. 8. That former liberation movements should institute joint and individual measures to eliminate corruption. 9. That former liberation movements should hold workshops to share experiences, strategies on sustainable economic growth and improve our countries."

Dr Chombo said the proposals were informed by similar workshops held in Mozambique in November 2015 and Victoria Falls in May 2016. The Victoria Falls gathering resolved to address factionalism, lack of patriotism, foreign-backed organisations that work with opposition parties, external interference in electoral processes and "foreign interference using hard and soft power for regime change".

Dr Chombo said, "We met in Victoria Falls in order to deliberate, and Zanu-PF presided over proceedings. The workshop agreed that regime change is primarily the most urgent and common threat governing former liberation movements face for now and the foreseeable future. The Victoria Falls report captured the salient points of the deliberations and recommendations of the meeting. The workshop also agreed with the Russian and Chinese characterisation of regime change as the tool of choice for overthrowing legitimate political authority by provoking internal instability and conflict against governments that are considered inconvenient to their interests, replacing them with pliant puppets regimes that then pander to their interests.

"According to research and intelligence analysis that informed presentations of former liberation movements, Western interests in Southern Africa seek to establish military domination, including military bases within the region as an option for rapid escalation to hard power where soft power would have failed in pursuit of regime change."

He went on: "The West want unfettered access and control to Southern Africa's 200 million-strong population, 10 million square-metre land, strategic east-west route, vastly diverse and unique mineral resources and vast natural resource endowment, agricultural potential that is second to none in the world, high quality human capital and unparalleled friendly climatic and weather conditions. This puts them at variance and on a collision course with the resource nationalisation being pursued by Zanu-PF through the Land Reform and Resettlement Programme; the Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment Progamme and other social models that are being pursued by other former liberation movements."