Welcome former Vice President Joice Mujuru to the real world of murky Zimbabwean politics is in order. For someone who had never been dealt with treacherously for the 34 years she served government at Cabinet level, entering opposition politics must be difficult for her.
Hence, her cringing at the slightest reports of infiltration by none other than her erstwhile colleagues in Zanu PF.
Ex-Premier Morgan Tsvangirai’s MDC-T has over the years complained about penetration, which led to divisions in the opposition in the past, but they have weathered the storm so far.
Is it not true that Mujuru should be the last person to cry foul over infiltration? Therefore, infiltration in the Zimbabwe People First (ZimPF) party should have been anticipated. That’s politics. Otherwise, who in ZimPF did not come from either Zanu PF or the MDCs? It appears most of their members are either former this or that party — existing or collapsed political groups.
It’s a good thing that ZimPF have realised that they have been infiltrated. What is better is to come up with a system to ensure that they can contain the infiltration and ensure that it will not lead to the newly-formed party’s implosion.
Politics is often a game of wits, where one needs to remain a step ahead of their rivals. ZimPF needs a watertight internal security system that can flush out or at least contain the infiltration to ensure they will not destroy the party from within, as has often happened to the MDCs.
If they choose to sit on their laurels, they will be easily annihilated from within because history shows that when it comes to confronting its rivals, Zanu PF takes no prisoners, but throws killer punches that have seen almost every opposition to their hold on power fold with the passage of time.
At a time when the fractious Zanu PF is desperately fighting to contain dissenting camps, the opposition cannot afford to sit back.
- Chamisa under fire over US$120K donation
- Mavhunga puts DeMbare into Chibuku quarterfinals
- Pension funds bet on Cabora Bassa oilfields
- Councils defy govt fire tender directive
Keep Reading
ZimPF cannot vow to soldier on and mount a strong challenge to President Robert Mugabe ahead of the 2018 elections following the intrusion, so the opposition party requires a clear-cut strategy to deal with this threat, assuming it is real.
It is obvious Zanu PF will play dirty because that is its nature, and to what extent is ZimPF prepared to go blow for blow? That may be the only way out because one cannot play nice with Zanu PF and expect to win. That does not happen in Zimbabwe’s rough political terrain that calls for extraordinary toughness.
The opposition needs to strengthen its leadership and structures if it is to successfully ride over the new threat.
A strong and vibrant leadership with an equally up-to-the-task security team should survive any kind of infiltration.
Perhaps the ace up ZimPF’s sleeve is that they are keenly aware of how the Zanu PF spy operation works after having been part of that system for decades.
ZimPF should play its part and Zimbabweans would want to see if they are able to find ways to circumvent that.
