The Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front has made history by becoming the first liberation party in Southern Africa to bounce back to power after being defeated by the opposition.
ZANU-PF lost its parliamentary majority in 2008 when the opposition walked away with 110 seats out of 210 and President Robert Mugabe lost the first round of the presidential elections only to bounce back in the re-run after Movement for Democratic Change leader Morgan Tsvangirai pulled out because of violence.
ZANU-PF entered the 2013 elections as an underdog which could only win through rigging but even critics now argue that even with rigging the ZANU-PF victory was just too overwhelming.
As ZANU-PF leader Mugabe said at the launch of his campaign, this was a do or die election for the party because if it had lost it would have been confined to history like its counterparts in Zambia and Malawi.
The ZANU-PF victory has now been confirmed by the withdrawal of the court challenge by MDC leader Tsvangirai yesterday.
The United National Independence Party which led Zambia to independence under Kenneth Kaunda has never recovered following its defeat by the Movement for Multi-party Democracy led by Frederick Chiluba.
Similar fate befell the Malawi Congress Party which led to Malawi’s independence under Hastings Kamuzu Banda but was defeated by Bakili Muluzi of the United Democratic Front.
Liberation parties in South Africa, Botswana, Namibia and Mozambique are yet to lose elections though they have changed leadership.
COMMENTS
It’s a pity the only viable opposition available is led by a heroic but otherwise deficient leadership, pitted against a ruthless regime that is not dissimilar to the Smith regime except in colour, selfishness and greed. THAT unfortunately is Zimbabwe’s just desert. ZANUPF worked very hard to rig the elections so well, and all this under the noses of the “heavy-hearted” Prime Minister and his troops in Government. Surely, does it matter any more whether the vote was fair? The question is whether a misty-eyed outfit should have had power given to it on a platter by the people, or rather taken peacefully by those who know how to wield it. Had ZANUPF perfected this art to the same level in past elections many people would have lived to enjoy the ongoing indigenisation. What a laugh.
Botswana never had a “liberation” party, get your facts right!
You are right, the founder of USSR Vladmir Lynch Lenin once said revolutionaries do not make good leaders that’s why Botswana economy is one of the fastest growing in the world.
@chamu it is nirvana true that Botswana has one of the fastest growing economies. the mining industry is nor growing anymore. there are retrenchments in that industry. Talk if stable economies byte never growing. musayemura zvisipo!
This cant be news. Perhaps the writer or report failed to put the stuff correctly to be news…….come on be news worthy
This is not well written: Zanu Pf has never won an election since ZUM..it has broken history by managing theft with IMPUNITY like never any Liberation party without conscience like China’s killing of students..
SPOT ON !!! COULDN’T AGREE MORE.
Nhaiwe Fumai, why can’t you change your name to murombo coz your thinking is too shallow and poor if you fail to understand simple and straight forward articles like the one above. Zvanzi ZANUPF ndiwo musangano chete pamisangano yese yakasunungura nyika dzayo yararama pakubvisva pakutonga nezvimbwa sungata ikakwanisa kudzoka wazvinzva here, zvinei neChina yaurikutaura. Shandisa pfungwa we need people who are focussed, if you can not understand Zimbabwean issues how do you expect to attempt to know Chinesepolitics. Ndanyara zvikuru nekufunga kwako unotadza kuyambuka karukova kadiki wava kuti kana ndikasvika kuGungwa ndirikuda kundosambira munofira mumvura mhanduwe!
How can a political party, which owns virtually EVERYTHING including our culture and religion, lose elections? That’s inconceivable! Even if it gets 0.01% of the votes, it still wins! That’s why it must remind people every now and then to do the right thing (or else).
Dear Jongwe,
Please read Miles Tendi’s book which explains how Zanu PF have used Patriotic History to represent their party rather than their country. i hope you would find this educational.
As for you other points, sadly they are just too simple and mediocre to respond to.
Joseph you are just a one big fool. That article is very nonsensical. Its a shameful peace of propaganda. Joseph, your comments highlights your high levels of stupidity and ignorance. You must not patronize Fumai. Let him express his views without you trying to bring your cheap ZANU dictatorship. You need to grow up fool
It does indeed make history. The history of how not to lead a country !
What a misnomer to say ‘ZANU(PF) makes history’. You cannot be serious. Did ZANU(PF) really bounce back to power??? You should have said ‘ZANU(PF) makes history by CHEATING its way back to power’. You cannot deny this.
Reasoning is well appreciated and understanding where we are coming and going.
We want people who are willing to build Zimbabwe with good ideas not to be a champion yekutukirira. Pamberi nokubatana we are all brothers, let us be one, united for a better future.