KEY POINTS
- Mmusi Maimane warns Zanu-PF could face a similar fate as Botswana’s ruling party.
- Opposition parties in Southern Africa are gaining momentum.
- Protests in Mozambique highlight regional unrest over election results.
Southern African politics are undergoing major changes, and South African opposition leader Mmusi Maimane has issued a stark warning to Zimbabwe’s ruling Zanu-PF party. Maimane, who heads the Build One South Africa (BOSA) party, suggested that Zanu-PF could soon face a political fate similar to that of Botswana’s long-ruling party, the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP), which was recently ousted after 58 years in power.
Maimane warns Zanu-PF of possible electoral defeat
Maimane’s comments come in the wake of President-elect Duma Gideon Boko’s decisive victory over Botswana’s incumbent president, Mokgweetsi Masisi. The BDP’s unexpected defeat has sent shockwaves across the region, signaling a broader shift in Southern African politics. Maimane, who has received financial support from South Africa’s Oppenheimer family, pointed to the changing political landscape, emphasizing that Zanu-PF could be the next ruling party to fall.
“Chest pains. Zanu-PF is next,” Maimane remarked. He referenced the close ties between Zanu-PF and Botswana’s ruling BDP, noting that Zanu-PF had backed Masisi in the elections, hoping for his victory. However, the Batswana people chose a new direction.
Botswana’s ruling party ousted after 58 years in power
The defeat of Botswana’s BDP highlights a growing trend of opposition success across Southern Africa. Beyond Botswana, there have been other significant shifts in the region, including the African National Congress (ANC) losing majority control in South African councils and parliament, as well as the electoral victory of Hakainde Hichilema over Zambia’s former president, Edgar Lungu.
The collapse of the BDP’s long reign has added fuel to the debate about how long entrenched ruling parties in the region can hold onto power. Meanwhile, Zanu-PF, which has ruled Zimbabwe for over four decades, remains under scrutiny for its governance, with human rights defenders and civic organizations frequently criticizing the party’s tactics.
Growing regional trend of opposition success in Southern Africa
Maimane’s warning to Zanu-PF comes at a time of unrest across Southern Africa. In Mozambique, citizens are protesting the results of recent elections, which declared the ruling FRELIMO party as the winner. Unlike in Mozambique, where the election announcement was met with immediate backlash, Zimbabwe’s President Emmerson Mnangagwa took a more cautious approach. He delayed congratulating Botswana’s opposition leader, Duma Boko, until the results were official, eventually issuing a statement through his Foreign Affairs Minister, Amon Murwira.
As opposition parties gain momentum across the region, Maimane’s remarks highlight the potential for significant change in Zimbabwe. Zanu-PF faces increasing pressure both domestically and internationally to reform, and Maimane’s warning underscores the possibility that Zimbabwe’s ruling party may follow the BDP’s path if it fails to address growing calls for accountability and reform.
