Citizens Coalition for Change Condemns Push for Opposition Representatives at Zanu PF Ideology School

The battle over ideological indoctrination has taken a sharp turn as Zimbabwe’s opposition party, the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC), strongly resists efforts to compel their elected officials to attend Zanu PF’s Herbert Chitepo School of Ideology.

This clash follows a controversial proposal put forward by the Minister of Justice, Ziyambi Ziyambi, which demands that all elected representatives, including opposition councillors and legislators, must enroll at the Zanu PF-controlled institution.

The suggested mandate is framed as an effort to impart knowledge on the history of Zimbabwe, but its true nature aligns deeply with the political philosophies of Zanu PF. The idea of forcing rival politicians to absorb Zanu PF ideologies is what stirs unease among the opposition.

Ziyambi’s remarks have ignited heated discussions within Parliament and beyond. The ruling party’s attempt to entrench its ideological views through this forced indoctrination brings into question whether Zimbabwe is indeed committed to nurturing a multi-party democracy. Many see this move as an effort to blur the lines between party politics and the state, a long-standing criticism of Zanu PF’s governance approach.

Harare Mayor Jacob Mafume, a member of CCC, notably attended these ideological classes, further complicating matters. His participation has raised eyebrows within his party and sparked fears that this could signify a growing coercion of opposition figures into attending the School of Ideology.

The Citizens Coalition for Change, through its spokesman Promise Mkwananzi, has categorically rejected the coercion, calling it a breach of constitutional principles. Mkwananzi, expressing the official party stance, firmly stated that CCC deployees will not attend any programs aligned with the ruling party. According to the CCC, such programs represent a blatant encroachment on democratic norms that should protect parties from being forced into another’s ideological sphere.

The opposition is not taking the situation lightly. Mkwananzi announced the party’s intention to challenge the actions of the Ministry of Local Government through both political and legal avenues. The CCC sees this effort as not only an institutional abuse of power but a deliberate conflation of party and state, something Zimbabwe has witnessed repeatedly under Zanu PF’s rule.

This forced indoctrination, from the perspective of the opposition, violates the constitution’s emphasis on multi-party democracy. A nation that claims to uphold such a system must allow its political institutions to operate independently, without being drawn into one party’s ideological orbit.

The entanglement of state resources in what is essentially a Zanu PF project further inflames the matter. The CCC argues that diverting state funds for the purpose of ideological programs serves to fortify Zanu PF’s power and undermine the very spirit of democratic governance. It’s a clear case, as they view it, of institutional corruption where state mechanisms are wielded to strengthen a ruling party’s dominance over the opposition.

Zanu PF’s Herbert Chitepo School of Ideology is widely viewed as a tool for party indoctrination. Its curriculum pushes forward the values and principles that have shaped Zanu PF’s political approach for decades. By mandating attendance from rival parties, the ruling party seeks to exert its influence far beyond its own ranks.

For many in Zimbabwe, this latest development is another chapter in the long-standing struggle for political pluralism. Whether or not this will escalate into a broader legal confrontation remains to be seen, but one thing is certain: CCC is standing its ground against what it calls an unlawful intrusion into its ideological independence.

This attempt at forced indoctrination reveals more than just political friction—it highlights the fundamental challenges Zimbabwe faces as it navigates the complex terrain of multi-party democracy. The battle between the ruling party and opposition continues, but the broader issue remains: can true democratic practices thrive in a landscape where one party seeks to force its ideas onto all?

The Zim Bulletin