Staff Reporter
The 11th meeting of the Secretaries-General and Wings of the Former Liberation Movements (FLMs) in southern Africa has lamented how Western entities have exploited social media platforms to target the region's revolutionary parties.
The FLMs summit held in Victoria Falls highlighted the challenges faced by these parties, particularly those approaching elections, as they grapple with continuous assaults aimed at eroding their legitimacy and destabilizing their administrations.
It was disclosed during the summit that political parties such as Zimbabwe's ZANU PF, South Africa's ANC, Botswana's BDP, Tanzania's CCM, Mozambique's FRELIMO, Namibia's SWAPO, and Angola's MPLA have been victims of intensified online misinformation campaigns.
According to deliberations during the summit, these misinformation and disinformation efforts are meant to discredit the respective Governments, alienate citizens from the revolutionary parties and instigate divisions. The misinformation and disinformation agenda are also aimed at inciting the opposition to engage in disruptive activities.
During the summit, ZANU PF shared with other FLMs the tactics it has implemented to combat social media exploitation and safeguard its sovereignty.
ZANU PF's Secretary-General, Dr Obert Mpofu, said that measures have been intensified to improve cyber security and digital literacy among the populace, enabling them to distinguish between genuine and misleading information online.
Cde Mpofu added that ZANU PF has adeptly utilised social media to promote its narrative and engage constructively with the public.
The Party’s Secretary-General emphasised the importance of collaboration and communication among member states to counteract the systemic biases and double standards that pervade Western-dominated social media landscapes.
Similarly, SWAPO's Secretary-General, Sofia Shaningwa, underscored the urgency of finding lasting solutions to the misuse of social media.
She advocated for joint efforts between Governments and FLMs to protect digital spaces from external manipulation and ensure the unimpeded exchange of factual information.
Meanwhile, the summit marked a critical juncture for the revolutionary parties of southern Africa as they mobilised to defend against digital warfare and champion the integrity of their nations in the face of external adversities.
