ZANU PF Resort To Disinformation Campaign Against Chamisa - Analysts
The Zimbabwean government has been accused of resorting to disinformation, deception and lies to counter main opposition CCC leader Nelson Chamisa’s seeming popularity as thousands of people attend his campaign rallies across the country.
Chamisa, who was being blocked from staging rallies by the police in the past weeks, before the ZRP top brass directed that the opposition should be allowed to campaign freely, has been attracting multitudes to his rallies.
This has prompted Government spokesman Ndavaningi Mangwana and President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s spokesman George Charamba to launch an unofficial disinformation campaign against Chamisa.
For example, on Sunday, 23 July, Mangwana tweeted a drone picture of Chamisa’s Beitbridge rally purportedly showing that a thin crowd had attended. He wrote:
Opposition leader Mr Chamisa and his Political Party CCC had a successful rally in Beitbridge. They had a few challenges with the PA systems but these were eventually resolved. As is our custom, we share drone pictures as well.
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Zimbabwean academic, journalist, and political commentator, Pedzisai Ruhanya, said ZANU PF’s propaganda will not work in the digital era. He said:
Propaganda by ZANU PF-controlled media against CCC and @nelsonchamisa‘s national wave and tide of colossal support won’t work. Taking pictures 20 minutes after the opening of the venue to mislead people that @nelsonchamisa has no support won’t work in the digital era. This is Beitbridge. SHAME
However, pictures of the rally posted online by various media outlets showed that there was a huge crowd gathered at Dulibadzimu Stadium.
ZANU PF has also been accused of trying to create an impression that Mnangagwa and ZANU PF enjoy huge support across the country by allegedly bussing people to rallies and giving them chicken, bottled water and bread as a reward.
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