ZANU-PF Pushes Ideological Training for Elected Officials Amid Opposition Criticism

Zimbabwe’s ruling party, ZANU-PF, has proposed mandatory attendance at the Herbert Chitepo School of Ideology for all elected officials. This has sparked intense debate within political circles.

The school, named after a prominent liberation figure, is designed to impart ideological education rooted in the ruling party’s historical narrative. The push to make this a legal requirement has met significant resistance from opposition members and political observers.

ZANU-PF legislator Joseph Mapiki recently advocated for this training to be compulsory for councillors and MPs. He argued it would ensure that elected officials gain a deeper understanding of Zimbabwe’s historical context and ideological foundations.

Minister of Justice, Ziyambi Ziyambi, echoed this sentiment in Parliament, endorsing the idea. He pledged to engage the Ministry of Local Government to explore enacting legislation. According to Ziyambi, the School of Ideology is not a partisan entity but a necessary tool to educate the nation’s leaders on its history.

However, the proposal has been met with backlash. Opposition parties, including the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC), have voiced concerns that the move is another attempt to impose ZANU-PF’s political ideology on elected officials.

Some, like CCC MP Edwin Mushoriwa, raised constitutional concerns over the potential misuse of public funds. He questioned whether local authorities should be obligated to attend such training sessions, especially when they may not directly benefit their duties.

The opposition’s critique centers on the belief that forcing elected officials to undergo ideological training aligned with ZANU-PF undermines democratic governance. They argue that public officials should remain neutral and not be coerced into attending what they see as a partisan school.

Despite these concerns, ZANU-PF insists that the school promotes a neutral understanding of Zimbabwe’s history. They maintain it is essential for national unity, claiming that similar ideology schools exist in other countries as well, such as in the United States.

While the ruling party’s defenders argue that ideological education strengthens governance, critics warn that mandatory attendance could deepen political divisions in the country. As the debate intensifies, the proposal may shape future political discourse in Zimbabwe.

The Zim Bulletin