Comparative analysis: Is politicisation of intelligence inherent in nations under revolutionary parties in Africa? Tanzania, Uganda, Zimbabwe as case studies.
The politicisation of intelligence refers to the manipulation, distortion, or misuse of intelligence for political purposes, often to serve the interests of ruling elites rather than the broader national interest. In nations governed by revolutionary parties, this phenomenon tends to be exacerbated by a blend of ideological legacies, historical trajectories, and the entrenched dominance of such parties in the political landscape.
This examination explores whether politicisation of intelligence is inherent in countries ruled by revolutionary parties in Africa, with a focus on Tanzania (under Chama Cha Mapinduzi, CCM), Uganda (under the National Resistance Movement, NRM), and Zimbabwe (under the Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front, ZANU-PF). By analyzing the historical, structural, and operational dimensions of intelligence in these countries, this study assesses the extent to which intelligence agencies have been used to safeguard revolutionary hegemony rather than serve national interests.