ZANU PF has crafted a social media policy that stipulates the authorisation of party WhatsApp groups by the leadership as it tightens its grip on internal communication.
The development comes as dissenting voices within the party grow louder in opposition to a bid to extend President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s term by two years to 2030.
Mnangagwa this week poured cold water on the plan, saying he will not be persuaded to prolong his stay.
NewsDay heard yesterday that Zanu PF is seeking to curb
the spread of dissenting opinions by controlling WhatsApp groups.
This came out of the party's policy and co-ordinating meeting chaired by secretary-general Obert Mpofu at the party’s national headquarters on Monday this week.
The meeting, attended by politburo members, directors and deputy directors, discussed various issues, including the party's social media policy, state of the party, cell verification process and people-oriented programmes for 2025.
Insiders revealed increased concerns over members participating in social media groups that challenge Mnangagwa allies’ bid to extend his term limit to 2030.
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“This concern has prompted the party to take drastic measures to regulate social media activities and prevent further dissent,” a senior Zanu PF member, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said. “The party's WhatsApp groups have turned out to be a ‘war zone’ as members clash over party issues.
“But the main issue at the centre of the discussion is the term extension. Those who are against it are freely expressing their thoughts, but there is fear that they might influence others who are pro the idea.”
Local Government and Public Works minister Daniel Garwe, who is also the party's Mashonaland East provincial chairperson, recently expressed concern over the hurling of insults at him by party youths on WhatsApp groups.
Garwe was attacked for his strong stance in support of the bid to extend Mnangagwa's tenure.
Zanu PF director of Information Farai Marapira said the party’s secretaries would be the only authorised social media group administrators.
“The party will need to be in control and ensure that our members are in legitimate party groups because we need to protect our membership from having bogus groups created for them, which will be disseminating anti-party messaging,” Marapira said.
“So it is not a policy that has been promulgated, but this has always been something that we as a party have always been intent on and have always been doing.
“I think, like any organisation, we would like to protect our members and keep them connected to true party messages.”
Marapira said unauthorised members who ran social media groups using the party name risked being sued.
“We cannot have a party where we have structures, but our communication methodology is unstructured,” he said. “That is irregular. We have got secretaries for information from the cell, going up to our national secretary for information.”
He also confirmed that all party groups will be regularised and made to fall under the secretaries for information.
“These secretaries need to be substantial and substantive so that we move away from a situation where anyone who is not even a party member can open a group.
“We cannot force people to close, but we can seek legal remedy for people who use the party name without the right to do so, which I believe is just procedural,” Marapira said.
