ALFRED SHILONGO & AKANI CHAUKE in Windhoek, Namibia
Namibia Bureau
WINDHOEK, (CAJ News) – ZIMBABWE is at the centre of an emerging diplomatic crisis in Southern Africa for allegedly masterminding the rigging of elections in fellow nations in the bloc.
The accusation follows the ongoing electoral process in Namibia and the recent election in Mozambique, both alleged to be manipulated and bearing the hallmarks of elections that have kept the Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF) in power.
The alleged interference in elections has earned Zimbabwe the tag of “The New Israel”, in reference to Israel’s meddling in Middle East’s security issues.
ZANU-PF has never hidden its siding with fellow liberation movements in elections in neighbouring countries but lately, it has been accused of direct involvement.
This week, some Namibian opposition members accused ZANU-PF of aiding the ruling South Western People’s Organisation (SWAPO) of rigging after ballot papers ran out in mainly opposition strongholds.
This was a tactic deployed in Zimbabwe in 2023 as ZANU-PF retained power.
Some Namibian opposition leaders on Thursday at an eventful meeting with the Namibian Electoral Commission (NEC) openly accused Zimbabwe of interference in the electoral process that is now set to run until Saturday.
In October, it is alleged thousands of ZANU-PF members voted in eastern neighbour Mozambique, in an effort to retain the ruling party Front for the Liberation of Mozambique (FRELIMO) in power.
It is believed the two allies connived to provide the Zimbabweans with documents to participate in the election.
Millions of Mozambicans have taken to the streets in protest. Around 70 people have been killed during clashes with security forces while thousands were injured.
Zimbabwe President, Emmerson Mngangagwa, came under fire for congratulating FRELIMO’s Daniel Chapo, before the official announcement of results.
To complicate matters, Mnangagwa is the current chairman of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) regional bloc, which is supposed to ensure free and fair elections in order to avoid conflicts.
The same scenario has emerged in Namibia.
“Preliminary results indicate the Revolutionary Party SWAPO is leading, and poised for a victory. Victory is indeed certain,” ZANU-PF stated in its online platforms.
ZANU-PF’s name also featured prominently in the election of western neighbour, Botswana, after Zimbabwe’s ruling party campaigned for the ruling Botswana Democratic Party (BDP).
However, Botswana’s long-serving governing party lost dismally.
In May, ZANU-PF reportedly interfered in the South African election. Despite the allegations, the African National Congress (ANC) lost its majority, failing to win more than 40 percent of the polls.
ZANU-PF is reportedly preparing to interfere in elections in northern neighbour’s Zambia, scheduled for 2026.
It does not see eye-to-eye with Zambia’s ruling United Party for National Development (UPDN), which came to power in 2021. Unlike ZANU-PF, UPND does not have liberation war credentials and is aligned to the opposition in Zimbabwe.
– CAJ News