As the African National Congress (ANC) convenes a high-level meeting with other African liberation movements, political analyst Dr. William Jethro Mpofu has delivered a scathing critique of the continent’s former liberation parties, accusing them of failing to deliver on their promises while blaming external forces for their decline.
The ANC’s gathering comes at a precarious time, with the party facing potential sanctions from the United States and dwindling domestic support. However, Dr. Mpofu argues that the real crisis lies in the liberation movements’ inability to introspect and acknowledge their own failures.
“Liberation Movements Have Lost Relevance”
In a fiery interview, Dr. Mpofu dismissed claims that external forces are solely responsible for the struggles of liberation movements like the ANC, Zimbabwe’s ZANU-PF, Angola’s MPLA, and Namibia’s SWAPO. Instead, he argued that these parties have long abandoned their revolutionary ideals, delivering little beyond political independence.
“They gave us new flags, new national anthems, but nothing about economic freedom or social justice,” Mpofu said. “Some went on to commit genocides, declare themselves leaders for life, and establish one-party states. Now, Africa is in tatters.”
A Gathering of “Desperate Losers”?
Drawing parallels to past African leaders, Mpofu referenced the late Tanzanian President Julius Nyerere, who once described the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) as “a cabal of tyrants plotting to protect themselves from their people’s anger.” He suggested that the current meeting could be a similar exercise in self-preservation rather than genuine problem-solving.
“This is a gathering of desperate losers who have not delivered,” he declared. “They have nothing in their hands except the blood of innocent people and the poverty of African populations.”
The “Moses Effect”: Liberators vs. Governors
Mpofu also introduced the concept of the “Moses effect,” arguing that those who fought for liberation were not necessarily equipped to govern effectively.
“Liberators cannot be governors,” he said, referencing the biblical figure Moses, who led the Israelites out of Egypt but never entered the Promised Land. “We see this across Africa—those who won independence failed to build prosperous nations.”
Youth Repeating Old Excuses
What troubled Mpofu most was hearing younger ANC members echoing the same excuses as past leaders like Robert Mugabe and Teodoro Obiang Nguema of Equatorial Guinea.
“It scares me that a young person today is still singing this old song,” he said. “These movements cannot introspect. They blame imperialism, opposition parties, factions—everyone but themselves.”
A Call for Political Suicide
In a stark conclusion, Mpofu suggested that liberation movements should “commit political suicide” and make way for new governance models, such as coalition governments.
“Africa is more divided, poorer, and unhappier than ever, despite its vast resources,” he said. “These movements must look in the mirror and admit they have failed.”
As the ANC and its allies meet behind closed doors, the question remains: Will this summit lead to meaningful change, or is it merely another attempt to deflect blame while clinging to power?
For now, analysts like Mpofu remain deeply skeptical.