ZANU PF’S STRUGGLE FOR POWER: THE REAL STORY

How do you reconcile two opposite claims? You cannot because it is impossible. Like trying to mix oil and water, it just does not work. The same way, alleged opposition members cannot be said to have willingly joined Zanu PF, known as an oppressive party. Just like fish cannot fly because they cannot defy gravity, opposition members cannot willingly defect to Zanu PF. What truly exists in Zimbabwe are suffering civil servants, especially teachers and nurses. They are at the lowest end of the pay scale and are forced to join Zanu PF.

The history of Gukurahundi proves that Zanu PF is a terrorist organization. It holds on to power unconstitutionally, using terror as a tool. This fact makes it clear that Zanu PF relies on fear, not support, to stay in power.

Now that we know what is real and what is not, it is important to talk about how ironic the situation is. The Auxillia Mnangagwa television, previously Grace Mugabe television, did not show the teachers and nurses who were forced to attend Zanu PF meetings. At these meetings, they were told they had to register and join Zanu PF under threat. This is different from Zanu PF’s usual way of showing off fake defectors from the opposition. This is the focus of this article. This small detail is like a huge elephant in the room, obvious to politically aware Zimbabweans.

Teachers and nurses are not motivated to join the party that causes their suffering. Zanu PF uses coercion as its weapon of choice. Instead of fixing the problems of civil servants, Zanu PF prefers to force them to join. Civil servants, like the youth, are left out of governance, except for war veterans.

The police and military, who are loyal to Zanu PF, had their salaries increased by the party. This was Zanu PF’s response to the inflation it caused. This special treatment shows Zanu PF’s reliance on force. It also shows that Zanu PF is keeping power unconstitutionally. The party uses force to make up for the lack of public support.

Teachers and nurses have never been partisan. They just want fair pay that protects them from the unstable economy. When they demand better pay, Zanu PF sees them as enemies, which they are not. Zanu PF did not see the loyal security forces the same way when it increased their pay to prevent unrest caused by economic mismanagement. Mnangagwa had promised the military benefits in a post-Mugabe Zimbabwe, benefits only the military would get, making the rest of the civil service unhappy.

Will forced membership of nurses and teachers keep Zanu PF in power? No. Coercion and threats cannot stop a movement whose time has come. Zanu PF is realizing that even a loyal military is not enough to keep it secure in power. Relying on force and coercion is a short-term solution. It shows that Zanu PF knows the mood of the people is changing, and this will lead to an opposition win in the 2023 elections. This win will bring peace, the rule of law, and an end to military terror in Zimbabwe.

Nothing lasts forever. Zanu PF’s reliance on media repression shows its refusal to adapt. Technological innovation, like social media, now connects thousands of Zimbabweans, exposing human rights violations and corruption in real-time. Opposition parties can engage with their members without needing police clearance. Zanu PF’s strategies are outdated. Shifting from military reliance to forced membership is proof of this.

Zanu PF’s time is up. It is trying to hold on to power unconstitutionally. But like a dinosaur, it will be overtaken by the innovative opposition, much like social media making dinosaurs go extinct.