In his book, Struggles within the Struggle, Masiphula Sithole clearly stated that the contradictions within the armed struggle would likely play themselves out after the struggle, resulting in struggles after the struggle that would compromise the achievement of the ideals of the liberation struggle.He intended to write a book on struggles after the struggle and I am seriously tempted tosatisfy his wish.
He was correct, especially given what happened in the bush andafter independence where we saw the ruthless elimination by any means of any potential rivals to Mugabe. These men have not moved an inch in their minds from the past.
It is my contention here that a lot of issues that arose during the struggle were never adequately dealt with after the struggle and as a result, ZANU (PF) never really transformed itself into a democratic political entity.
This of course, includes the plight of genuine war veterans who never really received legitimate recognition and honour for the sacrifices which they made but were side-lined after the struggle by the so called nationalists who usurped power and therefore its benefits post-independence. Only those war veterans who will dare not challenge Mugabe's hegemony and sing his praises have prevailed.
In my opinion, ZANU (PF) has remained, throughout the years, aliberation struggle political party that happens to possess a state and has proceeded to abuse that state and its resources to meet its narrowpolitical objectives without adequately attending to the contradictions that it carried over from the struggle. The line between state and party never existed in their minds and to this day, there is this inherent and pervasive entitlement to power and state resources.
ZANU (PF) has also failed dismally to address the economic and social agendas after the struggle and has instead, relied on a patronage system that has fed a predator cabal. This patronage system is underpinned by fear, intimidation, violence and false loyalty as a means to an end.