ZANU PF Monitoring Upcoming Elections In Neighbouring Countries - Obert Mpofu
ZANU PF has expressed worry over the poor electoral performances of former liberation movements in neighbouring countries.
In an interview with The Herald, Obert Mpofu, the ZANU PF Secretary-General, said that the party is closely following the upcoming elections in Mozambique, Namibia, and Botswana, set to take place later this year.
He claimed that former colonial powers were attempting to infiltrate the region and undermine the political dominance of these liberation movements. Said Mpofu:
That is really one area which seems to be of great concern to us. We have been meeting as former liberation movements and coming up with new ideas of really protecting ourselves from infiltration and from the colonial, irrational and detractive countries which are against us.
We are also worrying about the developments that are coming up now as a result of the democratic processes within the region.
We just had some elections recently in South Africa. We expect some elections in Mozambique, Namibia, and Botswana.
We have learnt and will be learning from those elections. But it is becoming very clear that the enemy’s hand is really in the region.
Mpofu’s comments come against the backdrop of recent electoral developments in South Africa, where the ruling African National Congress (ANC) lost its majority for the first time since the end of apartheid in the 2024 general elections held on May 29.
The ANC was forced to form a coalition government, partnering with the traditional opposition Democratic Alliance as well as other smaller political parties, to retain power after its share of the vote declined significantly compared to previous electoral cycles.
ZANU PF also failed to secure a two-thirds majority in Parliament in the 2023 general elections even though the polls were condemned by international observer missions, including SADC, as not meeting regional standards.
However, soon after the elections an unknown former MDC member Sengezo Tshabangu recalled elected opposition CCC representatives saying he was the party’s interim secretary-general.
Subsequent by-elections enabled ZANU PF to finally secure a two-thirds majority in the National Assembly, amid reports Mnangagwa intends to hang on to power beyond 2028 when his second and final term ends.
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