THE ruling Zanu PF party fears that the worsening economic
crisis could be used to as an excuse to overthrow the President Emmerson
Mnangagwa’s administration by “foreign sponsored anti-government campaigns”.
Zimbabwe is in the throes of its worst economic crisis in a
decade characterised by shortages of cash, medicines, fuel and rolling power
cuts of up to 20 hours a day.
Inflation rocketed to 481,5% in November, a new
post-dollarisation high, eroding earnings and decimating pensions, while
Zimbabweans have to grapple with constant price increases.
Meanwhile, salaries have remained depressed, with consumer
spending severely curtailed.
Hopes of a quick economic turnaround when Emmerson
Mnangagwa took over from long time ruler, the late Robert Mugabe, in November
2017 quickly faded after a disputed election last year, with Mnangagwa failing
to address the crisis.
In its report, Zanu PF’s Chitepo School of Ideology claimed
that there was a sustained global campaign targeting “undemocratic”
governments, including Malawi, Venezuela, Hong Kong and Zimbabwe.
“On the international front, we have witnessed a global
phenomenon of well-organised pro-Western anti-government mass protests targeting
governments portrayed by the west as ‘undemocratic’ with a determined view to
unseat them,” the report read.
Referring to the violence that gripped the country after
the July 30 elections, when security forces shot and killed six civilians, the
report said: “That sad chapter in our recent history marked the beginning of a
well-organised, meticulously co-ordinated and generously funded campaign of
economic sabotage and misinformation designed to mislead both the Zimbabwean
population as well as the international community with the ultimate aim of
overthrowing the elected government.
“The reaction of countries of the West to the events of 1
August 2018, 14 January 2019 and many other anti-government activities have
demonstrated, in no uncertain terms, that these countries have not changed in
their decision to remove Zanu PF from power through the mantra of regime
change.”
The report said the party was disturbed by the continued
economic sanctions against Zimbabwe and negativity by Western embassies against
Zimbabwe.
According to the report, activists have been trained in
foreign lands by intelligence forces on how to organise and apply strategies to
undermine the government and its economic policies.
“This is meant to render the country ungovernable and
incite the population to revolt and overthrow a legitimate government.”
Seven rights activists were hauled before the courts early
this year on allegations of plotting to subvert the Zanu PF government.
Frank Mpahlo, Beauty Rita Nyampinga, Sithabile Dewa, George
Makoni, Tatenda Mombeyarara, Gamuchirai Mukura, Nyasha Mpahlo and Farirai
Gumbonzvanda were accused of participating in a meeting held in Maldives, where
they allegedly underwent a training workshop organised by a Serbian
non-governmental organisation, Centre for Applied Non-violent Action and
Strategies, aimed at subverting constitutionally-elected governments through
civil disobedience.
In its report, Zanu PF has blamed everyone, but itself for
the crisis in the country, including the West, the MDC, saboteurs, G40 remnants
and natural disasters. Newsday
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