MABASA SASA
ON JULY 1 2026, the Communist Party of China (CPC) will mark its 105th founding anniversary, a milestone far beyond ceremonial celebrations and empty rhetoric.
As the world’s largest ruling political party with over 100 million members, the CPC has accomplished an extraordinary feat rarely achieved by political organisations worldwide: maintaining its vitality and relevance for over a century.
More importantly, it has led a population of 1.4 billion Chinese people out of absolute poverty and built China into a leading global power in the economy, science and technology, and diplomacy.
For African political parties, especially Zanu PF and Zimbabwe, the CPC’s centenary is more than a date on the calendar. It invites profound reflection on how to build a governance system that truly delivers tangible benefits to the people.
The CPC’s journey began with a secret gathering of revolutionaries in Shanghai in 1921, and today the Party has steered the construction of one of the world’s most influential modern economies. Its history powerfully illustrates the synergy between clear ideological guidance and flexible, pragmatic practice.
The revolution led by Mao Zedong was not a copied foreign model, but an indigenous path rooted in China’s rural population. Deng Xiaoping’s reform and opening-up drive did not blindly follow the Washington Consensus; instead, it advanced in light of China’s national realities.
The new era under Xi Jinping does not seek recognition from Western mainstream development doctrines either. China has blazed a distinctive development path, firmly demonstrating that there is no universal development template applicable to all countries.
This is the most vital lesson Africa ought to learn: the legitimacy of a governance system is judged not by its compliance with externally imposed formulae, but by concrete improvements in people’s lives.
Western development models took shape against their unique historical backgrounds and bear certain historical limitations, while each nation deserves the right to choose a development path suited to its own conditions.
The Fourteen Principles of ‘Xi Jinping Thought on Party Building’ systematically encapsulate the CPC’s core governance philosophy, offering valuable insights for all African political parties committed to long-term, sound governance.
Many African political movements have declined due to chronic governance vulnerabilities, including rampant corruption, ideological confusion, bureaucratic alienation from the public, mediocre cadres and eroded organisational discipline — challenges shared by every ruling party across Africa.
The Fourteen Principles put forward clear requirements: the Party must stay committed to its original mission of serving the people, establish institutionalised anti-corruption mechanisms, and select cadres based on competence and performance rather than nepotism.
These ideas are not exclusive to China, and the CPC’s decades of practice have proved that such long-standing governance obstacles can be overcome.
Xi Jinping, General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee, has summarised the party’s strategy for long-term governance as two mutually reinforcing pillars: external oversight by the people and thorough internal self-reform, which together help the Party break free from the historical cycle of rise and fall that haunted all regimes throughout history.
Rather than relying solely on periodic elections to regulate power, the CPC has formed comprehensive, permanent internal institutional mechanisms to discipline itself, correct deviations in a timely manner and continuously renew its bond with the people.
Multiple official Chinese statistical reports and credible international media surveys show that over 90 per cent of Chinese citizens recognise remarkable progress in government conduct. Nearly one-third of CPC members have joined the Party in the past decade, injecting a large cohort of young, digital-native cadres into the organisation. This embodies systematic self-renewal, proactive team rejuvenation and regular internal reviews.
Zanu PF was forged in the national liberation struggle and laid the foundation of post-independence governance in Zimbabwe, with an original mission centred on serving local people.
Its historical legitimacy rooted in liberation is a precious political asset.
Nevertheless, legitimacy earned through liberation must be continuously consolidated via progressive governance. The CPC sets a viable example: ruling parties can institutionalise self-renewal as a permanent component of governance, instead of a temporary emergency measure to tackle political crises.
China’s current development agenda provides a highly instructive case study. Under President Xi Jinping’s leadership, China is advancing one of the most far-reaching economic transformations in modern history: shifting from scale-oriented, export-driven growth to the development of new quality productive forces.
This comprehensive agenda covers technological innovation, the cultivation of future industries and high-quality modernisation. President Xi has emphasised that fostering emerging industries is critical to developing new quality productive forces, building a modern industrial system and upgrading people’s living standards.
Sasa is a veteran media practitioner and independent political commentator based in Harare, Zimbabwe. He contributed this article to mark the 105th birthday of the CPC.