ZANU PF Accuses CSOs Of Pushing Regime Change Agenda

Zanu PF secretary for security, Lovemore Matuke has accused local civil society organisations (CSOs) of working with the opposition MDC to push a regime change agenda.

Matuke made the remarks while addressing the party’s Mashonaland West provincial coordinating committee (PCC) members in Chinhoyi weekend. He said:

The National Democratic Institute held a meeting with non-governmental organisations on 22 January when these organisations with ties to opposition MDC were given money to fight Zanu PF ahead of the 2023 elections.

These organisations are deemed strategic in the agenda to destabilise the nation. As a party and provincial leadership, we have to be careful of these as they have a foreign agenda to remove Zanu PF from power.

His remarks come when the government is being accused of harassing the opposition and civil society organisations and human rights defenders.

Matuke also speaks after President Emmerson Mnangagwa has hinted at reviewing laws that govern the conduct of all civil society organisations after accusations that they were now meddling in politics “neglecting their mandate.”

Matuke mentioned the Zimbabwe National Students Union (Zinasu), National Association of Youth Organisations (Nayo), Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (Artuz), Zimbabwe Council of Churches (ZCC), Zimbabwe Human Rights Association (ZimRights), Vendors Initiative for Social and Economic Transformation (Viset), Women’s Leadership Institute for Development (Wild) and a news portal, NewsHawks as CSOs pushing the regime change agenda.

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