By Dr Masimba Mavaza | Political parties commonly experience internal disagreements. Recently, evidence is accumulating that outright internal discord makes a party much less attractive to voters. However, we do not understand well when citizens perceive a party to be internally conflicted in the first place. We must always remember that there is a difference between perceptions from a democratic life cycle perspective: Factors related to the periodic conduct of party leadership and its persuaders results in a very volatile environment which become toxic.
If a party stays long without a strong opposition it plunges itself in higher levels of intra-party conflict and make it more visible to citizens. The citizens perceive more internal conflict when parties are heterogenous, when they are governing, when election day is distant, and when electoral losses accumulate. This demonstrates the recurring patterns in citizens’ perceptions of political parties and suggests self-reinforcing dynamics between citizen assessments and election outcomes.
The happenings in ZANU PF has become toxic even to those who are notmembers of ZANU PF.
The major political party in the country is at war with itself. So how does a group with shared ideology and long history end up at each other’s throats? This is caused by selfishnes and total dishonest of some leaders in the party.
The idea of the untouchable individuals in the party brings sharp divisions in the party and this will surely spill to the general public. implosion in the revolutionary party has divided the country into two. Some overzealous people are causing issues for the revolutionary party and the whole establishment. It is painful that ZANU PF has been tearing strips off each other since the issue of 2030 became seriois. And as of last weekend, the party seem to be heading for an all-out civil war.
There are few individuals who are in power by lucky and by His Excellency’s favour its sad that those people are in charge of everything important, and this is a deeply worrying situation for nearly tweny million people.
It seems it’s the season for our political party to turn on itself, resulting in attacks and accusations that would be considered excessive by the characters in the devil’s kingdom.
What’s going on here? Why would professional politicians with long careers in a political establishment with long and proud history suddenly decide to engage in open verbal warfare against their supposed colleagues, especially with so much at stake? There are numerous factors which need to be considered, from an uncertain economy to an ever-changing electorate and media landscape. But, as ever, there are also many psychological and real factors to consider.
The situation if its left unattended is swiftly if not already becoming State security threat. This has exposed serious Implications on our state security and letft the Intrlligence cluster Fragmented
It is not healthy and it is a serious threat to national peace
where intelligence agencies are split between warring factions vying for control, the security apparatus becomes compromised, leading to severe implications for governance, national stability, and civilian welfare. The division of state security forces—particularly within the Office of the President and military intelligence—creates a volatile environment where counterintelligence, intra-intelligence, and interagency operations are disrupted. This fragmentation not only weakens the state’s ability to maintain order but also increases the likelihood of civil conflict.
It divides the government forces and pauses a very volatile situation in the country. We might put straight faces but no amount of pretence will hide the poiling under current flowing deep in the heart of the mation.
We have forewarned the leadership that the 2030 nonsense has become a national security issue and needed a determined decisive action to stop the madness. Unfortunately those who were supposed to act demonised the ones who earnestly had serious concerns of the country.
Zimbabwe is far important than all warring parties.
In ZANU PF we’re part of and identify with is a big part of how we define ourselves, even at grassroots levels. As a result, most people in ZANU PFZ will prioritise unity of the party and go to alarming lengths to maintain it. This applies to any civilised party,it doesn’t have to be about anything objectively “important”, as anyone who’s upset any part of fandom will know. So given all this, and the fact that ZANU PF definitely dohave very important functions and responsibilities, it should never havecome to a situation that members of political parties end up at each other’s throats. And yet, clearly, it isn’t the way ZANU PF acts.
There are many factors that influence the psychological unity of a group the decisiveness of the leadership makes it clear what policy to follow. Party’s principles is one. If the party remains principled, it’s much easier to all agree and achieve a sense of unity, and harder to get away with not contributing (known as social loafing). Similarity of members values also contributes, because people with similar experiences/backgrounds are, by and large, more likely to agree and empathise. How hard it is to ne in the leadership of the party is very important: if you’ve gone through hell and back to be part of something, you’re obviously going to be enthusiastic about keeping supporting it and keeping it intact. But if you are rewarded with no effort you cause problems for the party and members in general. The military know this, hence the notorious detention barracks. It’s not just about improving fitness, but making sure those who get through it are fully committed to their role in the organisation. And let’s not get into fraternity hazing.
All of these factors influence how unified a political party is, some more than others, some negatively, some positively. On the positive side, political parties, at least at the very top, are generally (and depressingly) composed of very similar individuals. Claims of expanding diversity and representing communities are all well and good but when half of a country’s ruling body comes from the same clique it becomes hard to deny that fairness has flown out through the windows. Also, given the amount of time, electoral success and progress it requires, it’s also generally very difficult to become a top politician without others pulling you up and others down.
When the party starts fighting publicly because someone in the party wants to break the very constitution which made him what he is there will be serious Implications for the State and for the citizens.
Nevause of the confusion in the party structures tjere will be if not already a collapse of central authority. The center will be not holding tightly. The grip will ne loosening slowly.
When intelligence agencies are split, the authority of the central government is undermined. Competing factions within the security forces lead to a situation where multiple power centers emerge, each claiming legitimacy. The state’s ability to enforce laws, implement policies, and govern effectively diminishes, creating a power vacuum that non-state actors, including foreign powers, may exploit. Zimbabwe is at a verge of anarchy as the security is threatened. Many places are now having the sacredness of hosting meetings which decide on the path the country is taking. These includes Pub cabbinet, farm cabinet and bedroom cabinets. These causes breakdown of national security. Intelligence agencies serve as the backbone of national security by gathering information on threats and preempting destabilization efforts. A divided intelligence community results in the erosion of these capabilities. Rival factions may prioritize factional interests over national security, exposing the state to external threats, espionage, and infiltration by hostile actors.
The happenings in Zimbabwe now compromises counter and intra intelligence operations.
Counterintelligence efforts focus on identifying and neutralizing espionage threats. When intelligence factions are split, their ability to detect threats is severely diminished, as competing agencies withhold information from each other. The situation is worsened by intra-intelligence conflicts, where factions within the same agency spy on or sabotage each other, leading to a security paralysis that benefits external adversaries.
The second dispensation saw a sharp rivalry between the police and the army the army and the CIO and the police and the people.
We must always remember that Interagency Dysfunction
Intelligence agencies rely on interagency cooperation for effective operations. However, in a fractured state, interagency coordination collapses due to distrust, lack of communication, and conflicting agendas. Agencies may work at cross-purposes, leaking sensitive information to rival factions or even external actors, further deteriorating national security.
It could be the more “blatant” things that emphasise national unity, namely external competition and threats, and successes of the party.
As we speak ZANU PF party has arguably had an even more confusing time ober the 2030 saga.
The effects of infighting again negatively imparts on the Citizens. The implications will be that the country will be plunged in serious political violence.
A divided intelligence community often translates into heightened political violence. Rival factions may use militias, paramilitary forces, or security units under their control to suppress opposition, leading to targeted assassinations, disappearances, and crackdowns on dissenting voices. This will then impact on our relationships with the outside world. Our international image will be battered.
The country will face serious displacements as people will be moving to hide from repercussions. Citizens caught in the crossfire of intelligence-driven conflicts may be forced to flee their homes, leading to internal displacement and refugee crises in neighboring countries. Essential services such as healthcare, education, and infrastructure deteriorate, deepening humanitarian suffering. In order to cling topower human rights and civil liberties will be violated.
Zimbabwe is now plunged in an environment where intelligence agencies operate as tools of competing factions, arbitrary arrests, surveillance, and extrajudicial killings become common. Journalists, political activists, and civil society members face heightened risks, as each faction attempts to silence perceived threats to its survival. The presence of the opposition would have provided a useful focus for the development of the country. Without unity the differing views and beliefs of a very large political party suddenly become problems, problems that affect us all in some way in this context.
The 2030 agenda is influencing the current intra-party political animosity, so it’s not the whole story but the beginning. The actions of individuals can also have substantial impact. The unguarded comments of some politicians is even encouraging prejudice and victimisation of faithful members.
After comments from some new politicians one has to ask , are the current crop of politicians sufficiently capable “leaders”?
The party leadership has to quickly find each other. Not even a compliant media can be of use here; it’s hard to toe the party line when there are two lines. Or three. Or more. And they’re constantly intersecting, crossing over, attacking each other or just going backwards.
All of this wouldn’t be a huge problem if the general electorate were consistent and clear in their intentions and desires. But they aren’t. So it is, that too much uncertainty at all levels means these issues aren’t going to go away any time soon. Hold tightly comrades we’re about to experience some turbulence.
It must be pointed out that fragmentation of intelligence agencies in a state with warring factions creates a highly unstable and dangerous environment that threatens national security, governance, and civilian safety. Without good leadership skills the situation can escalate into full-scale civil war.
Zimbabwe is the only country in the whole world which we can call ours.