Chronicle Editor
Dr Obert Moses Mpofu
IN his famous quote, Henry Louis Mencken, an American journalist, satirist, cultural critic, and scholar of American English remarked, “The whole aim of practical politics is to keep the populace alarmed (and hence clamorous to be led to safety) by an endless series of hobgoblins, most of them imaginary”.
There is always an attempt to spread alarm and despondency in order to cause chaos with the eventual goal of regime change and unseating the sitting Government. Such methods have been used time and again by our political opponents in attempts to create some illusory crises.
The end goal has often been the same for such actions, failure. Those who push such agendas harbour ill will and are naïve to think that they can put a dent in the people’s movement.
If we are to go by their predictions and narratives, surely by how the colossal Zanu-PF would and should have collapsed. But the most formidable liberation movement on the African continent still stands and continues to grow from strength to strength.
Our resolve has not been shaken and we will not falter from our mission. Indeed Zanu-PF still stands, tall and firm and continues to forge ahead with the people’s agenda. Year in year out, the media is awash with some imaginary and illusory troubles within the file and rank of the ruling Zanu-PF party.
It seems, the happenings within the revolutionary colossal people’s party always draw attention from far and wide.
People are so curious and always want to predict the non-existent wars and troubles. There are reports of squabbles and the like within Zanu-PF. However, the truth is far from that, there are no such squabbles.
Even if they were, in what would they profit the dead horse that is the opposition. What exists in Zanu-PF is a healthy sense of competition and a deep sense of comradeship. We always follow our ways and due processes based on our constitution and what our people want.
We are deeply rooted in respect for Party leadership and we always look up to them for guidance. As Zanu-PF gears up for the 21st National People’s Conference, it will be evident for all and sundry how united my Party is. President Mnangagwa’s sound leadership has ensured that he presides over the party with Solomonic wisdom and this has been instrumental in driving the Party forward and ensuring that its ethos are maintained for posterity.
The attempts to misdirect the people, however, will be intensified as we get close to the 21st National People’s Conference. We should be on guard. They have already begun and one can tell from a mile away that the enemy is up to their old tricks again.
However, the enemy will be greatly disappointed again. For Zanu-PF does not waiver from it’s set ways, and neither does Zanu-PF ever fail.
We have mastered the art of politics and we know how to do it correctly. This has been demonstrated time and again. It is no secret that Zimbabwe’s political landscape is not an easy one, mostly due to the presence of our detractors who seek to reverse the gains of our liberation struggle.
They have ensured that there is a proliferation of paraphernalia as well as bogus sellouts who are paid to oppose anything that the Zanu-PF Government attempts to implement in order to uplift our nation.
These individuals are without shame and have found themselves in the cold and in political oblivion. In all these “politrics”, Zanu-PF has endured and grown from strength to strength while the sellouts have fallen by the way side.
They have tried every trick in the book, yet failure has been at the end of every turn. They have failed so much such that all their efforts have been reduced to chanting Bible verses while wishing for a way to find themselves a seat at the table.
The messaging is clear, all are welcome, as long as they are willing to repent from their evil ways and desist from selling out their country of birth. The conduits of our detractors will not find a seat at the table for as long as they still harbour the nefarious agenda that is contrary to Zimbabwe’s national interests.
There is unity of purpose in Zanu-PF. The failures within the opposition have plagued them for so long that they wish the same ill to befall the people’s party. What they have failed to realise is that Zanu-PF is unlike any other political party. It transcends beyond mere politics and is a way of life, the Zimbabwean way of life.
This is perhaps the reason why, for the longest time, Zanu-PF has drawn the curiosity of its enemies. We have drawn envy, jealousy and scorn from our enemies. As a matter of fact, Zanu-PF strikes fear right at the hearts of our enemies, and rightfully so. We are indomitable. We have done everything we can to ensure that we maintain our winning streak at every turn.
There is always an explosion of interest in the Zanu-PF way. Some good and some, oh well, not so good. It has become both laughable and worrying every time we turn to the papers and media that a people can be so fixated on one entity.
Most of these people have no idea of what goes on within the Party but are always quick to offer their expertise and fake analyses as to the Party’s internal happenings.
Such a scenario often leads them to author and propagate false narratives. Only those familiar with the Party’s ways know what goes on with the party and everything else is far from the truth. The Party’s correct position will always be communicated by its leadership. Anything else is just sideshows meant to distract the people from the real and import work at hand.
As we gear up for the premier event in our calendar year, the 21st National People’s Conference, let there be no doubt that, it’s more of the same. Zanu-PF still remains as it was yesterday, today and tomorrow. Zanu-PF still stands.
n Dr Obert Moses Mpofu is an academic and the Secretary-General of Zanu-PF. He writes in his own capacity.
Bongani Ndlovu