Zanu-PF says too hot for Maimane, Khama, Brenthurst Foundation

Zanu-PF has claimed that its unwavering stance against alleged imperialist efforts targeting liberation movements in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) has made it a target for coordinated attacks by opposition voices in the region. The ruling party, along with President Emmerson Mnangagwa, has been accused by opposition parties in countries like Mozambique, South Africa, Botswana, and Namibia of meddling in their electoral processes to bolster ruling liberation movements.

Farai Marapira, Zanu-PF's Director of Information and Publicity, dismissed the allegations as evidence of the party's regional influence in countering neocolonial agendas.

"As Zanu-PF, we are powerful, but not through manipulation. We are powerful because we embody the true values of Africa," Marapira told Business Times. "Our message resonates across borders, challenging neocolonialist ideologies that cannot comprehend an

Marapira further accused Western forces of fomenting division within SADC nations to weaken liberation movements, citing organizations like the Brenthurst Foundation and opposition figures such as Ian Khama and Mmusi Maimane as agents of destabilization.

"This is not about Zanu-PF. It is about African people rediscovering their identity and redefining themselves outside of colonial narratives," Marapira said.

Presidential Spokesperson George Charamba echoed Marapira's sentiments on X (formerly Twitter), suggesting that Zanu-PF's influence in SADC poses a challenge to Western interests.

"It can only be Zanu-PF, which is strong enough in the region to take the sponsored flack against liberation movements," Charamba said. "We gain more ground as the region becomes radicalized by such fallacious accusations."

Charamba criticized opposition parties as "pro-capital, pro-white, anti-people, and anti-liberation," adding that their alleged reliance on Western support weakens their standing.

Charamba hinted at an upcoming meeting of liberation movements to address what he described as “sponsored attacks” aimed at undermining their influence in the region.

"They are targeting the President and Zimbabwe's chairmanship of SADC. Liberation movements will convene to strategize on countering these efforts," he said.

The accusations come at a time when liberation movements in SADC are facing increasing pressure, with many losing their grip on power amid rising demands for change. Zanu-PF's leadership and its stance against alleged neocolonial interference have placed Zimbabwe at the center of a growing ideological divide in the region.

This unfolding drama underscores the battle for influence in SADC, pitting entrenched liberation movements against emerging opposition forces advocating for political reform and greater alignment with Western democracies.