ZANU PF’s Enduring Legacy: Solidarity with Revolutionary Parties for a Brighter Africa

Solidarity matters.

By Dr Masimba Mavaza

There has been a concerning disquiet by the Zimbabwean opposition parties about ZANU PF’s alleged assistance of revolutionary parties in the region.
We often hear the word solidarity, but what is it, and why does it matter when it comes to political campaigning?

There are many factors to think about, but fundamentally, solidarity involves collaborating to reach a shared objective. Within the African political movement, this implies backing the efforts of other revolutionary activists globally and seeking a shared purpose in our campaigns. For this purpose, ZANU PF associates itself with the parties that struggled for freedom. This also involves backing social justice movements, regardless of whether they occur within the region or beyond. ZANU PF has a distinct understanding of freedom from a revolutionary perspective. It is crucial for ZANU PF to support revolutionary parties globally. This is due to the fact that acting in solidarity requires recognizing that the challenges we encounter are interconnected and systemic.

Solidarity can manifest in various ways. We show our support by participating in demonstrations of other groups, exerting pressure on their decision makers, or sending messages of solidarity.

Solidarity strengthens revolutionary parties, making it very important for our movement.

Our support for another revolutionary group can provide them with a significant boost of energy.

Sending supportive messages and dispatching individuals to assist in campaigns during election periods demonstrates international unity. What you’re feeling is solidarity, and it applies to everyone.

Campaigning can frequently feel like a solitary struggle, but when others stand in solidarity with us, we realize the extent of the support available. It demonstrates that there is a way to continue developing the movement we belong to and that victory is achievable. Our political party experienced a similar uplift when messages of support arrived from across the globe. However, we enhance our political movement by showing solidarity, even before our allies recognize and are inspired by our actions. This is due to the fact that it serves as a reminder that we are part of a much larger movement, a global one composed of millions of individuals advocating for justice and freedom.

It is obvious that solidarity saves lives and should never be seen as an injustice or interference.

A vital element of solidarity action is the prompt response to appeals for assistance. Election campaigning is not a level playing field globally. For numerous individuals, it can be lethal.

Particular moments of political upheaval and even corporate impunity can often put people’s human rights and lives at risk. Whenever this is the case, we take solidarity action together by assisting our sister parties. We can even send members to other countries to keep each other safe and ensure perpetrators can’t act with impunity.

As justice activists we often do this without thinking, but it’s nice to know it’s also a strategy that works.
It is surprising that we have people demonising our party for the acts of solidarity we performed in neighbouring states.

The whole world has different political views and they are linked with the groups of the same principles.
If the help comes from a different perspective the detractors call it a global movement.

ZANU PF is a movement with common goals and a broad common understanding that’s ready to step in and act where comrades cry for help. Friends of the Earth International, the world’s largest grassroots environmental federation, is a pretty good example of this.

Acting in solidarity is a powerful way to build and develop this global movement, and also to remind the noise makers that it’s out there and it’s not something to be ignored. Remember that coalitions are a challenge to those with power in society. When we come together to act, we realise our individual fights have the same root causes, and the solution lies in this common action.

Through solidarity, we unite against injustice and empower each other to create change. By standing together, we share knowledge, strategies, and experiences, enabling us to tackle common challenges. ZANU PF extends support to those fighting oppression globally, recognizing that injustice stems from the same Western-driven forces. With millions worldwide resisting creatively, solidarity allows us to tap into innovative tactics and approaches, strengthening our revolutionary movement.

We benefit more through solidarity . It can also give us an insight into broader trends in other movements that we can incorporate or draw upon so we can do our part to keep building the global movement we need.
It’s essential that we in the Zimbabwe remember that the impacts of political bullying by the West aren’t felt equally. Those impacts are experienced first and foremost by countries who are being disturbed for their natural resources. Without solidarity our comrades often experience first-hand the devastating effects of neocolonialism.

As a global power, with a dreadful colonial past and a capital city that houses a significant amount of the acquired wealth, it is always easy to see their support for puppet parties.

In fact, there is strong evidence supporting the claim that backing frontline battles worldwide directly helps save individuals from violations of human rights. Such facts strongly argue the importance of backing other revolutionary movements worldwide.

From time to time we receive calls for solidarity action from our sister organisations and share these with our local action groups. By taking action we help maximise the impact we have, often in urgent scenarios. As well as boosting solidarity action that makes a crucial difference, it’s an immediate way to stand with our allies as an active part of the movement.

We’re also working to challenge the power of the drivers behind sanctions against Zimbabwe.

So ZANU PF has an obligation to come in and help its revolutionary community.

While revolutionary movements of the 1960s and 1970s in Europe, the United States, and Latin America have been the subject of abundant literature, similar movements that emerged in Africa have received comparatively little attention. The political movements in Africa during this period were significant, as Africa’s revolutionary left was extremely active in these years and forms a vital part of global history.

The history of revolutionary left movements in Africa is largely ignored and disregarded among political scientists, historians and across the academic literature on Africa. Most of the existing literature consists of memoirs from former activists. However, most of the rank-and-file activists and even some of the leaders of these movements went to their graves without having an opportunity to tell their own stories.

So ZANU PF is on a mission to keep the flame on for other revolutionary friends.

The point our Zimbabwean government must look at seriously is the fact that those demonising us and making is look like enemies of Southern Africa are Zimbabweans.

The authorities should take action against individuals like Hopewell Chin’ono who spread harmful narratives about Zimbabwe. It’s time to hold accountable those who undermine national interests. Additionally, individuals like Baba Chipeneti, who engage in destructive criticism, should be addressed by our security forces to promote patriotic values.

ZANU PF says we all have work to do. “Iwe neni tine basa.”