It’s been a year since the last general elections which were labelled ‘flawed’ by SADC.
When the observer mission from the regional bloc openly condemned the polls, which was a first for SADC, there was excitement in the opposition and civic society circles.
Many thought the condemnation would somehow work in favour of the opposition but alas, life went on.
12 months later, President Emmerson Mnangagwa, who the opposition said was illegitimate, has assumed the chairmanship of SADC.
Main opposition leader, Nelson Chamisa became a subject of debate in the last couple of days, with many questioning his leadership style and political future.
After last year’s elections, he had a fighting spiriting, I guess buoyed by the SADC stance. He vowed it was not over yet, promising to fight tooth and nail to get justice for Zimbabweans ‘who had overwhelmingly voted for him and his party only to be robbed by ZanuPF’.
If his messages on social media were anything to go by, he would be leading the country as we speak. Instead, his political flame seems to be getting dimmer by the day.
Early this year, Chamisa quit his party, Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC), saying it had been contaminated and hijacked by the ruling Zanu PF.
The party, which won 103 out of 280 parliamentary seats in last year’s election, enjoyed huge urban support as it swept most of the urban councils despite being only a year old.
However, a few weeks after the elections, self-imposed Secretary General of the party, Sengezo Tshabangu controversially started recalling the elected MPs and councillors, a development which led to Chamisa’s resignation.
There was talk of him forming a new party but to date, nothing has happened.
Chamisa has since been dismissed as a coward, a man without a spine for failing to stand against Zanu PF.
Some have actually said he no longer has a future in Zimbabwe politics as he has missed many chances to prove that he is a force to reckon with.
Responding to a Chamisa greetings message on X, one Tich Chamunorwa wrote, “Please don’t be on the ballot in 2028, Zimbabwe needs a new opposition movement and new leaders. You have been good for ZanuPF,” to which one Milton Nkomo added, “He will be defiantly in, to sanitize Zanu PF theft as usual. Then he will continue with his slogan ‘God is in it’, he is not worried because his family have access to everything.”
However, those fighting in Chamisa’s corner are praising him for his ‘loud’ silence.
“Nelson Chamisa rises above both Zanu PF and other opposition members, leaving his opponents in disarray with his silence as they are left guessing his next move after distancing himself from the fractured CCC party,” wrote global202.
