IN the midst of brickbats hurled at ZANU PF’s Secretary for Information and Publicity Ambassador Simon Khaya-Moyo for saying there is no other party that can match the ruling party’s extraordinary record in governance, one thing that was missing from the so-called ‘independent’ media assessment was the truth.
This is the truth that Stephen Chan, professor of International Relations at the School of Oriental and African Studies and key advisor of the British government tried to evade when he suggested that President Robert Mugabe ‘may be more concerned about stage-managing his legacy than leading the continent’ following his assumption of the African Union (AU) Chairmanship last month.
Khaya-Moyo responded to accusations from the MDC-T that the government had ‘failed’ to create jobs and prosperity that:
“There is no other party in Zimbabwe, and we do not mean this as an exaggeration, that will be able to surpass ZANU PF’s extraordinary record in this lifetime.
“The MDC attempted rather miserably to introduce a JUICE programme which has since dried up and failed dismally to garner them the necessary support to be a party of government.
“It is this record of failure which makes it all the more disturbing when the same party hires ghost analysts to discredit the decent efforts of our Government.”
Inside Zimbabwe, there is a deliberate attempt by so-called analysts and the media to ignore efforts being made by the Government to improve the livelihoods of the majority through projects such as the Zimbabwe Agenda for Sustainable Socio-Economic Transformation (Zim-ASSET).
Yet the truth is that ZANU PF is what and where it is today because of its standpoints and policies.
This explains its stunning victory in the July 31 2013 harmonised elections which Chan himself described as the ‘biggest defeat of the United Kingdom’s foreign policy in 60 years’.
When it comes to bearing the slings and arrows of form and fortune, ZANU PF is the most inspirational of political parties across the continent.
The politics of nationalism neatly shaped around the ideology of patriotism and an unflinching stance on matters of sovereignty is what has institutionalised the ZANU PF way of thinking among progressive minds.
The instant judgment and lack of nuance of the so-called ‘private’ media inevitably complicates life everywhere for those opposed to ZANU PF’s ideology, but millions of dollars pumped into non-governmental organisations (NGOs) by the West fed expectations that Zimbabwe’s ruling party politics’ influence on the African continent would be negated.
Patience which is invariably in short supply is what was exhibited by the private media and Chan in their reports on Khaya Moyo’s statement and President Mugabe’s AU Chairmanship. 
However, there is no stopping ZANU PF at the moment.
The number of investors flocking to Harare for the massive opportunities bear testimony to their endorsement of the ZANU PF policies and leadership style as Khaya Moyo duly noted in his statement.
Did we not see the Chinese and Russians signing mega deals with Zimbabwe under the leadership of President Mugabe and ZANU PF?
Did we not see high powered delegations from Turkey, France and Britain coming to Zimbabwe for a bite of the cherry of the Zimbabwe economy?
Are the British not coming back to invest?
In the same vein, President Mugabe’s legacy will live now and in future.
How do you stage-manage a legacy when the whole continent has endorsed your candidature to lead them?
While it is true that Khaya Moyo and Chan live in different worlds and steeped in different mindsets, the point of convergence which naturally escaped Chan is that Zimbabwe is right on track in all facets of life.
For how would Chan dispute that President Mugabe’s legacy is very much intact given how his policies are having a bearing on the African continent?
How would even the likes of Bill Gates, America and the world’s richest man approbate programmes like President Mugabe’s Land Reform and Resettlement Programme if the Zimbabwean leader is stage-managing his legacy?
What will come out as the year slowly takes is unprecedented development in the country.
Coupled with this, will be massive job creation among other developments.
To buttress this point are the strides already being made by the Russians in the Darwendale Platinum project?
Elsewhere, the National Railways of Zimbabwe will soon be embarking on massive infrastructure rehabilitation and development.
Massive power generation projects starting with Hwange will be done this year.
Meanwhile, we will wait to see what those who latched on to Khaya Moyo’s statement will write come end of year.
What is unavoidable is that the Khaya Moyo and Chan contrasts will once again see ZANU PF having the last laugh.
Let those with ears listen.