WHY ZIMBABWE AND MOZAMBIQUE HAVE REMAINED QUIET OVER ALLEGED XENOPHOBIC ATTACKS IN SOUTH AFRICA – ZIMBABWEAN JOURNALIST HOPEWELL CHIN’ONO SHARES HIS VIEW
Award-winning Zimbabwean investigative journalist Hopewell Chin’ono has shared his perspective on why Zimbabwe and Mozambique have not publicly criticised South Africa as strongly as countries such as Ghana, Nigeria and Botswana over alleged xenophobic attacks on African migrants.
According to Chin’ono, the answer lies in politics and long-standing relationships between governing parties. He argued that the ANC has maintained close political ties with Zimbabwe’s ZANU-PF and Mozambique’s FRELIMO for many years, making it difficult for Harare and Maputo to openly challenge the South African government without affecting those relationships.
Chin’ono also pointed to South Africa’s role during Zimbabwe’s 2008 political crisis, saying the ANC-led government defended Zimbabwe through its policy of “quiet diplomacy.” He believes those historical political alliances continue to influence how the governments respond today.
In contrast, he argued that Ghana, Nigeria and Botswana have greater diplomatic freedom because they do not depend on the ANC for political backing or regional legitimacy. As a result, they have been more willing to publicly raise concerns when they believe African migrants are being mistreated in South Africa.
He further noted that Zimbabwe and Mozambique are central to South Africa’s migration debate because they account for a large share of migrants entering the country. According to Chin’ono, this makes their governments’ diplomatic position more sensitive and complicated.
These are Chin’ono’s personal views and analysis, and they have sparked widespread debate across Africa, with some agreeing that political alliances shape government responses, while others believe different diplomatic and national interests are also at play.
Do you agree with Hopewell Chin’ono’s analysis, or do you think there are other reasons why Zimbabwe and Mozambique have remained more reserved than Ghana, Nigeria and Botswana?