Regime change agenda remains major threat for Zanu-PF

Zanu-PF has declared that the only remaining threat to its rule comes from Western-backed regime change efforts, claiming it has successfully neutralised domestic opposition movements.

In its Central Committee report presented at the 22nd National People's Conference held in Mutare last week, the ruling party's national security department said opposition activities had been "subdued" following Zanu-PF's landslide victory in the 2023 elections.

"The numerous factions of the former main opposition have continued to fragment in utter disillusionment," the report stated. "Their ideological bankruptcy and umbilical connection to the West have rendered their activities unpopular with discerning citizens."

The opposition Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC), founded by Nelson Chamisa, has splintered into three factions led by Sengezo Tshabangu, Welshman Ncube, and Jameson Timba, after Chamisa resigned early this year citing infiltration by Zanu-PF.

The ruling party said Chamisa's faction was attempting to "resurrect underground" but lacked a viable agenda beyond his personality and "unjustified dislike of Zanu-PF."

Zanu-PF maintained that the country's economic insecurity remains a lingering threat, largely due to hostile Western policies such as the U.S. Zimbabwe Democracy and Economic Recovery Act (ZIDERA) and the Global Magnitsky sanctions.

Despite this, the party said Zimbabwe's economy was "improving and strengthening," citing the National Development Strategy 2 (NDS2) as a key driver for stability.

"The regime change agenda of the West, led by the United States, remains the most potent threat, with economic insecurity emerging as the theatre of hybrid warfare contestation," the report said.

The party urged vigilance against "internal dissension" and emphasised unity and discipline among its structures to safeguard national peace.

Zanu-PF described the current national security environment as "calm and peaceful," with no credible mobilisation to disturb public order.

It claimed that exiled political activists and "hostile regime change adjuncts" had been "constructively contained," and civil disobedience calls had failed.

"It is not anticipated in the next 12 months that any grouping in the country can successfully mount public disobedience campaigns," the report noted.

Teachers' unions were labelled "rogue" for past work stoppages, although the party acknowledged improvements in public sector relations, expressing optimism that civil servants' welfare would continue to improve.

The party condemned the illegal allocation of land by self-styled land barons claiming Zanu-PF affiliation, warning that such actions had "brought the name of the party into disrepute."
It also admitted that corruption by "rogue government officials," particularly at border posts, continued to drain state coffers.

"The party will need to further strengthen government institutions that fight corruption and bring culprits to book," it said.

Zanu-PF reaffirmed its principle of party supremacy over government, stating that officials deployed to state positions must implement party programmes. However, it noted the absence of a legal framework to enforce this arrangement and called for a governing document to regulate party–state relations.