ZANU PF Resurrecting UK Formations

I read on the internet this morning that Mugabe's destructive, unruly and all-encompassing political party - ZANU PF - is intent upon resurrecting their party bodies in the diaspora in both South Africa and the United Kingdom.

In a time when the opinion of Mugabe's party is plummeting to unknown lows, this move is probably interpreted as an attempt to garner support which hopefully will come from those who advocate for ZANU PF's continued tenure in supposed rule in Zimbabwe.

I find it quite galling that ZANU PF should have support here in the UK – surely, if there are people that want Mugabe to remain in power, they would be better geographically placed in Zimbabwe?

I began writing about Zimbabwe on the internet in mid-2005, and in the last six years I have received an unexpected amount of support from people in the diaspora, but also from people within Zimbabwe.

Sadly, that support can be balanced by the number of threats I have received in emails, comments and even telephone calls.

The threats, whilst initially worrying, have not prevented me from continuing with me endeavours.

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"ZANU PF is establishing structures in the United Kingdom and South Africa, bolstered by what it says is 'greater interest' being shown in its programmes by Zimbabwean exiles.

The party’s commissariat, headed by Information Minister Webster Shamu, presented a report to the party’s December conference detailing the move.

"Greater interest in the party, its ideals and its empowerment programmes has began to show within the Diaspora community, with growing membership showing in countries such as South Africa," the report said.

"In Britain, party structures are being formed through voluntary action. The commissariat department made recommendations for the party to acknowledge this positive effort in order to see how it can support membership building in these countries in a more substantial way."

The party maintained branches in the United Kingdom before independence in 1980 and in the boom years that followed, but its growing unpopularity decimated the structures and the party line has been promoted by individual loyalists on British TV.

With relations between the party's leadership and the UK government remaining tense, ZANU PF branches being formed in the UK would raise more than an eyebrow.”

We recall the numerous allegations made by Mugabe that the MDC is a Western puppet, bent on fomenting regime change, and now the Mugabe party is looking at spreading their lies in the UK and and South Africa.

I hold no hope for South Africa as Zuma, the president, is not interested in anything but supporting Mugabe. His own Supreme Court ordered him to release to the press a report on the flawed 2000 Zimbabwean parliamentary elections within 7 days, and he has shown flagrant disrespect of the court by failing to obey the order.

More and more of the African leaders prefer to leave Mugabe to do what he will as they have no want or desire to upset their own leadership activities within their own countries.

SADC, the organisation which applauded the Mbeki brokered Global Political Agreement signed by Mugabe, Tsvangirai and Mutambara, and has 'guaranteed' that agreement, has failed to make any headway in the impasse between the parties and seem to be content to allow Mugabe to sit the rest of the coalition tenure out without any concessions given.

What happens when the coalition's life expires next month will be most interesting.

The international developed world seem to have lost interest in Zimbabwean affairs, which, in turn allows Mugabe to rule as he will, without any criticism.

The fact that the Mugabe party is intent on rejuvenating themselves in South Africa and the United Kingdom does mean that he is seeking some sort of recognised platform to continue with his totalitarian rule, albeit as much as 6000 miles away.

Mugabe sees no boundaries in his zest to remain the number one politician in a broken and penniless Zimbabwe.

Robb WJ Ellis

The Bearded Man