Staff Reporter
Zimbabwe has become obstructed with falsehoods deliberately designed to undermine Government.
Recently a rumour that Vice President Chiwenga had been fired made rounds on social media. The idea of such rumours is mostly designed to tarnish the image of the Government. The rumours are unequivocal: It has become imperative that we stay at our phones and verify each and every piece of information. President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s removal from power in a coup d’etat to be engineered by the army is the most current rumour. “After widespread speculation and considerable planning, hardline military figures had decided to put the struggling president out of his misery” thats how the rumour is being coined. Private talks which are none existent are said to be taking place the rumour becomes strong each day and it is dividing the party in a very bad way. Political polarisation is the divergence of political attitudes away from the center, towards ideological extremes. We can distinguish between ideological polarisation and affective polarization which is an emotional dislike and distrust of political out-groups.
There has been serious falsehoods about the imaginary drift between President Mnangagwa and his deputy president cde Constantino Gueveya Chiwenga. The slogans about 2030 have not been making things better for the party and the nation.
Disinformation is the deliberate creation and spread of false and/or misleading content. This is a new weapon used by the politicians to destroy political parties. It starts as laughable then people will start to believe in it. This is different from misinformation which is the inadvertent spread of such content.Disinformation spreads through a complex interaction of social media, online news sites, traditional media, and offline spaces.Evidence suggests that people may be more likely to believe disinformation if it aligns with pre-existing beliefs, provokes an emotional response, if they are repeatedly exposed to it, or if it comes from a source they trust. The imaginary rift between the president and his vice has become the most hot gossip. People on the ground and those in too offices are now believing this nonsense. The effects of such nonsense if not checked will create a rift with the people. Even if the top is united the grassroots which is divided will tear the too into pieces.
People may intentionally share disinformation to further a political agenda or achieve social validation, rather than because they believe it. It is more common for people to unintentionally share misinformation. Disinformation is included on international risk registers due to its perceived potential to undermine democratic elections and promote social unrest.We must bear in mind that disinformation can influence beliefs, but evidence that it influences behaviour is robustly clear.
ZANU PF and Zimbabwe at large are victims to disinformation which is aimed at destroying the party. The most surprising thing is that the enforcement officers remain silent as people deliberately spread falsehoods. This silence makes the people believe that the wrong information is correct. The reaction will be catastrophic for the country and will be disastrous and will result in a massive increase in violence against humanity.
This is aimed at setting the people against their Government. Misinformation pervades Zimbabwean politics and it spreads faster than the wild fires. Commentators suggest that disinformation is not something that can be solved, but rather reduced and managed. Policy considerations include protecting freedom of expression, ensuring access to reliable information,regulating social media platforms, and keeping up with increasingly sophisticated artificial intelligence technology.
We can define disinformation as the “deliberate creation and spreading of false and/or manipulated information that is intended to deceive and mislead
people either for the purpose of causing harm, or for political, personal or financial gain. Disinformation should be identified as a serious concern in Zimbabwe and must be nipped in the bud.
We must label disinformation as the biggest short-term risk globally, due to its potential to undermine democratic elections,promote societal unrest, and increase censorship through counter-disinformation initiatives. It is a way of provoking governments to gage the press and media.
Disinformation is not new, but advances in technology and global connectivity have increased its production and dissemination.This includes generative artificial intelligence (AI), which can produce plausible text, images, video and audio based on a user’s prompt.AI has become more accessible, cheaper, and easier to use and abuse.
Disinformation may be entirely fabricated, or it may feature information that has been reconfigured or taken out of context. It is often based on ‘wedge issues’, topics that are considered divisive in societies.
The outcome of the 2023 harmonised elections and the 2030 campaign by minister Owen Ncube and minister July Moyo is perhaps the most pressing issue in point.
Every serious-minded political and legal inquiry into the subject including reports by institutions such as the SADC and European Union have rejected former CCC’s assertion that the opposition party did not lose the elections. Again speeches by the president Emerson Munangagwa clearly states the need to abide by the constitution.
Major media organisations now routinely label the statements and slogans for 2030 as“lies.” Yet the unfounded claims have gained wide traction among its followers and has divided the party big time.
Dis and Misinformation and the political effects of rumours is so damaging to any system.
There is an African saying which says, “A home is not built on gossip and rumours.” True to that, power is not gained through misinformation and gossip.
Misinformation has affected Zimbabwean politics, from the early days of independence to today.
Today, in the age of social media, citizens are actively engaged in crafting and spreading information to others and in some cases without verifying the facts.
It’s been a roller coaster month for those of us who are attempting to follow the progress and divine the content of reports after the ZANU PF conference in Bulawayo.
The media lacked a full throttle version of the full report of the conference. The conference it was part of the State House’s hard rain reform of the machinery of state,prescriptive”, top down reform. This fuelled more rumours saying the army and the police are to be reshuffled with the current leadership replaced by new leaders with more allegiance to the president. Needless to say this was again another disinformation and again if not corrected it will cause discontent within our forces.
It has always seemed plausible that there might come a moment when party bosses paused to wonder whether infuriating the people was really their top priority right now; but the truth is, for all the speculation, we don’t really know what’s going on. Those who know are not in the know.
But some things we do know.
We know that when you talk to government leaders they too have no idea what will actually be in the President’s mind about these rumours. So, this is being done to government not coming from government.
We also know that the rumour is saying different parts of the people are at daggers drawn, wondering furiously and to show that their model of reorganisation is the most efficient, or the most effective, or the most democratic. So, this is something that divides the party rather than uniting it.
And we know that there are a whole set of fundamental questions about government and 2030 that are not being answered.
There are valid arguments to be made about changing the constitution and these arguments can be stacked up in all sorts of different ways and the vehemence of the debate is, in part, because everyone and, therefore no one, is right.
But if we don’t address the fundamental questions first, we can’t hope to get reorganisation right. We’re simply rearranging the deck chairs as the iceberg looms over us. It’s a fatal confusion of form and function.
And we’re not alone, many people and organisations across the globe and sector organisations and many political parties are engaged in this debate. But it’s not reflected in the party’s programs. They’re just not asking the really important questions.
So, at the end of a turbulent year, we may not know any more about what’s happening with the 2030 but we still know what’s not happening. And that’s far more significant.
Surprisingly often, these rumours share similarities to conspiracy theories and portray the ruling party as “evil”.
In the age of social media, the spread of political rumours is fast and it needs fast action to
Silence such rumours.
Why are people susceptible to political rumours? How does the rumours affect political trust, and when can their potential harmful effects be remedied? These questions have been asked in all circles of politics.
Rumours and misinformation play a role in Zimbabwean politics-and a dangerous one with direct consequences, such as wrecking trust in Government, promoting hostility towards truth-finding and swaying public opinion on otherwise popular policies. This breeds confusion in the party and needs to be corrected right now.
In politics we must orient our work around six hopes for society, one of which is that politics will be characterised by listening, kindness and truthfulness.
Politics has always been a mucky business. However, the 24-hour media cycle, the ability to carry the news around in our pockets and commentate on the issues in real time means that now, more than ever, we can’t escape it. It often appears that politicians fan the flames of division for their own political gain. These divisions are further exacerbated by the fact that, despite globalisation and the internet, we exist in ever-narrowing provincial divide. More and more, we spend time with people who think and act like us in the online and the real world. While it is a well-worn truism, we do live in polarised times.
Political rumours and misinformation pollute the political landscape.
If misinformation crowds out the truth, how can Zimbabweans communicate with one another about important issues?
It is sad that political rumours exist and persist despite the unsubstantiated and refuted claims. Unfortunately, many people are most likely to believe falsehoods and this causes a stir in the political arena.
Many political actors and their handlers have weaponised mistruths.
It can be easy to feel powerless as we can’t control what the Government, opposition parties, political pundits and candidates are saying. However, we are responsible for the quality of political debate we engage in, and the conversations we have in our communities, families, friendship groups, workplaces and churches.
Having constructive discussions amidst disagreement over the things that matter is not easy.
We remember the words of John Wesley, “Though we cannot think alike, may we not love alike? May we not be of one heart, though we are not of one opinion? Without all doubt, we may. Herein all the children of God may unite, notwithstanding these smaller differences.”
Coming to grips with misinformation is really hard in this day of social media as anyone with a phone can become a journalist.
There is need to accept the challenge and reframe our thinking about misinformation.
We must not just think about the message we must also think about the messenger.
While not many people believe a lot of false political rumours, others believe and that is enough to cause confusion and distress.
Some people accept political rumours and genuinely believe them; at the same time, partisanship heavily influences what people are willing to believe.
As a country we need to worry about the people spreading falsehoods and those who are gullible to the rumours.
Falsehoods have the potential to undermine democratic functioning of our society and as Zimbabweans we must rise against rumours and its mongers.
We must not only focus on how to set the record straight but how to stop and punish the perpetrators of such destructive practices.
On the other hand, it is much more effective when a political leader tells the truth to their followers, at the expense of their own self-interest.
We must learn to be responsible leaders and wedge a political fight honestly and fairly without spreading lies about those around us.
Those who spread falsehoods through social media should have their accounts closed.
The prevalence of anti-Government falsehoods in Zimbabwe, may have an effect on people’s trust in authorities.
The opposition uses misinformation to promote falsehoods to reduce citizens’ trust in the Government.
Falsehoods will erode political support in any state.
The ‘Jingoes’ who… sang “We’ve got the ships, we’ve got the men, we’ve got the money too” accurately diagnosed the three essential elements of political power: armaments, man-power, and economic power.
But man-power is not reckoned by mere counting of heads. The art of persuasion has always been a necessary part of the equipment of the political leader.
It is the duty of the media to accurately inform the audience and to put the record straight on certain issues.
By correctly packaging and disseminating news through the proper channels, it is possible to alter the public’s perception of false news.
As a country we must have responsible politicians.
It is not easy to find politicians who will willingly speak out against their own perceived self-interest, even in service of the truth.
Although rumours can circulate via various means of communication, internet rumours especially social media (for example, microblogging), have dramatically increased the ease, speed and extent of rumour propagation.
Despite the presence of censorship, the internet has become the most dynamic, contentious, and even chaotic battleground for information and ideas in Zimbabwe.
Understanding the political challenges posed by information on the internet will enable people to survive the wave of falsehoods that circulate in the country.
Citizens are susceptible to thinly evidenced anti-Government falsehoods, but they can also be persuaded by the authorities if the latter can bring forth powerful evidence to support their story or win the endorsement of public figures widely perceived to be independent.
Unless the underlying political and socio-economic issues are somehow addressed, rumours will erode political support in any state.
A professor of Politics, Prof Berinsky says, “It’s that politicians are not behaving in a responsible way. We shouldn’t only blame the people. We should blame the politicians who are spreading misinformation”
Indeed, he adds, “If we’re looking for a lasting fix to the problem, it’s not that we can inoculate people against misinformation, or come up with a perfect way to correct for misinformation after the fact. What we need to do is reduce the misinformation coming from politicians. That’s easier said than done.”
To deal with misinformation Government should introduce laws which will deal with whoever originates or distribute falsehoods in any form.
