In recent times, we have seen our beloved country being falsely accused of interfering in political events in the region, with the ridiculous accusations being made just because the ruling party, ZANU PF, has very good fraternal relations with sister former liberation parties in SADC.
The fact that it sends a few senior officials to the region to share notes with senior officials as a means of expressing solidarity, is being deliberately twisted by equally twisted people who are now making outrageous claims that the country is participating in the rigging of elections in the region.
Everyone knows that these accusations are actually baseless and have no iota of truth in them. In this piece, we will state Zimbabwe's position and unpack the nefarious agenda at play.
Accusations of Zimbabwe meddling in neighbouring countries' internal affairs seem to be a calculated move to tarnish President Mnangagwa's reputation as SADC Chairman. This is evident from the timing of these claims, which started surfacing mainly this year after our assumption of the role.
Over many years, ZANU PF senior officials have always joined sister former liberation parties' rallies in the build up to elections.
This could be Frelimo in Mozambique, the ANC in South Africa, SWAPO in Namibia or Chama Cha Mapinduzi in Tanzania.
These same parties have also reciprocated by sending officials to play a token role in our elections. These cameo roles are normally restricted to a few slogan chants and maybe a very short speech in solidarity. That's it. How does that turn into participating in vote rigging?
It's crucial to consider the motivations behind these accusations which are not grounded in fact, but contrived to undermine Zimbabwe's influence within SADC. By examining the context and sources of these claims, we can better understand the complex dynamics at play and separate genuine concerns from politically driven agendas.
We will start by looking at the fraternal relations which ZANU PF has with like-minded parties in the region to see if there is something untoward about this.
Being in rapport with like-minded neighbouring political parties is a savvy diplomatic move that fosters cooperation, understanding, and mutual support.
By forming alliances with similar parties, political organisations can amplify their influence, share knowledge, and address common challenges.
This is particularly evident in Europe, where informal gatherings of national political parties have been taking place since the 1950s, laying the groundwork for robust relationships between party groups. Some examples may help the reader get it better;
The European People's Party (EPP) stands as a prime example of fraternal relationships. The EPP brings together centre-right parties from across Europe to promote common values and interests.
It is the regional equivalent of Former Liberation Movements of Southern Africa (FLMSA). FLMSA is the umbrella organisation that the African National Congress (South Africa), Chama Cha Mapinduzi (Tanzania), FRELIMO (Mozambique), MPLA (Angola), SWAPO (Namibia), and ZANU PF (Zimbabwe) belong to. In 2019, the Botswana Democratic Party also joined the FLMSA.
In Europe, there is also the Party of European Socialists (PES), which similarly unites centre-left parties, fostering cooperation and coordination on key policy issues. Another example is the European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party (ELDR). This party family connects liberal parties across Europe, promoting democratic values and economic liberalism.
In October 2024, Britain's party of government, the Labour Party, sent nearly 100 party staff to the US, particularly to the swing states of North Carolina, Nevada, Pennsylvania and Virginia to help canvass support for Kamala Harris and the Democrats.
It seems it's all understandable for many. Why do people express some outrage when it comes to ZANU PF? Closer to home, Botswana's Umbrella for Democratic Change has thanked South Africa's Democratic Alliance (DA) for helping them win their recent elections.
They actually said that the DA provided them with polling data of constituencies which helped them to have a more scientific and focused campaign. Nobody bated an eyelid over this. So, everyone else can have fraternal alliances, but when it comes to ZANU PF, it's a rigging alliance? Is this not being hypocritical? Let people have alliances of their choosing.
These alliances enable parties to leverage each other's expertise, resources, and networks, ultimately enhancing their impact on politics. By strengthening ties with like-minded parties, political organisations can better navigate the complexities of regional politics and advance their shared goals.
Why is it that when it comes to Zimbabwe, people suddenly get paranoid and start seeing ghosts in shadows? We contend that these are not schizophrenia symptoms, but calculated efforts to undermine Zimbabwe's standing in the region and internationally so as to weaken her thought-leadership within the region as well as President Mnangagwa's status as the region's senior statesman and its current chairman.
Zimbabwe and Mozambique share incredibly strong cultural, historical, and familial ties, which is no surprise given their shared heritage and geographic proximity. The two nations have a long history of trade, cultural exchange, and social interaction, dating back to the medieval city of Great Zimbabwe, which was a hub of commerce and culture in the region.
Zimbabwe's liberation movements were hosted by Mozambique and later, when there was instability in Mozambique, its nationals sought refuge in Zimbabwe in very large numbers. Those old enough would remember how Zimbabweans were literally wailing on the streets and demonstrating when the late Mozambican icon, Cde Samora Machel died in a plane crash.
That's how closely interlinked the two sister countries are. Many parts of the countries share common languages as well.
Given these strong ties, it's hardly surprising that Mozambican political parties campaigned to their nationals in Zimbabwe during recent elections. This is a natural expression of the diaspora community's engagement in the political process there.
To accuse Zimbabwe of deploying its citizens to vote in Mozambican elections is not only unfounded, but also acts as an inadvertent attack against the concept of diaspora voting. Whilst our own Constitution does not have room for extraterritorial voting by nationals based in different countries, we allow citizens to come home to vote.
During our last harmonised elections, Zimbabweans came from all over the world to vote in the plebiscite. So, if we are to follow this warped logic, does it mean that those who flew from the United Kingdom to vote in our elections, their voting was an attempt by the UK to rig Zimbabwean elections?
The busloads of Zimbabweans that came from South Africa to vote in our elections, was this South Africa rigging our elections? Let us not perpetuate unfounded allegations which only expose people's vacuous lack of critical thinking.
The strange thing is that initially these accusations were not coming from any participants in the Mozambican elections, but some media outfit in Masvingo which has been wantonly breaking the law with brazen frequency.
For this outfit, the writing is on the wall. Some Mozambican political parties only latched onto this accusation much later to try to explain away their performance during the elections. But they know the truth that Zimbabwe did not send its nationals to vote in their elections, neither did it participate in any perceived rigging exercise, real or imagined.
The tragic part of all this is that there are Zimbabweans who are willing participants in the peddling of this disinformation.
Zimbabweans who spread false claims about their country's so-called interference in neighbouring nations' internal affairs are putting their own loved ones at risk of xenophobia.
This is why Zimbabwe's ambassadors to Mozambique and Botswana have issued cautionary advice to Zimbabwean nationals, urging them to be mindful of their movements lest they fall victim.
By peddling these falsehoods, Zimbabweans are inadvertently fuelling anti-Zimbabwean sentiment. Xenophobia can be a destructive force in the region, and is often fuelled by misinformation and negative stereotypes.
It's crucial that Zimbabweans consider the potential impact of their words and actions on their fellow citizens and regional relationships. By promoting truth, understanding, and cooperation, Zimbabwe can continue to build strong ties with its neighbours and foster a more peaceful and prosperous region for all. Zimbabwe does not rig any elections, locally or in the region.
Let us look at the statistical facts.
Botswana's population is significantly smaller compared to Zimbabwe. If Zimbabwe nationals had indeed participated in Botswana's elections on behalf of the incumbent, it's logical to assume the outcome would have been more favourable to them.
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This further exposes the invalidity of the accusations regarding Zimbabwe's alleged successful interference in Mozambique's elections, especially given that country's substantially larger population.
The discrepancy in population sizes makes it challenging to comprehend how Zimbabwe could supposedly influence the outcome of elections in Mozambique, which has a population double the size of Zimbabwe, but fail to make a dent in the elections of a country which is less than five times its population.
This significant difference in population exposes the lack of credibility of such accusations. It's essential to scrutinise the sources and motivations behind these claims to understand the actual dynamics at play.
By examining the hidden hand that is puppet-mastering the complex regional relationships and electoral processes, we can better grasp the realities of these situations and move beyond unfounded speculation.
As for the accusations of Zimbabwe interfering in Namibian elections, false claims don't come more ridiculous than that. A South African company was awarded a contract to supply election materials in Namibia. Coincidentally, Zimbabwe once used the same company to supply its own election material in 2023, and this is interpreted as Zimbabwe interfering in Namibian Elections?
What has Zimbabwe got to do with a company from another country where none of its nationals is a shareholder or even an office holder at a senior level?
Clearly there are nefarious motivations behind this negative agenda against our country and its leadership.
As a member of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), Zimbabwe has consistently demonstrated its commitment to upholding democratic principles in regional elections.
The country's non-interference stance is evident in its professional participation in SADC's electoral observer missions.
As the region continues to navigate electoral challenges, Zimbabwe's commitment serves as a positive example for fellow member states.
The Zimbabwean Government will work with any leader democratically elected in their country according to the rules of that country. We don't rig elections in our country or any other country for that matter.
Nick Mangwana is the Permanent Secretary for Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services.
