THE widely expected dumping, last week, of former opposition CCC leader Nelson Chamisa by his erstwhile allies was not only a slap in the face of his Western handlers but the much-needed confirmation that the time for divisive politics has come to an end. Chamisa and his cohorts, who have been banking on divisive politics to garner the ticket to State House, were thrown under the bus on Wednesday last week. Speculation on who exactly was backing interim secretary-general Sengezo Tshabangu was put to rest as Welshman Ncube took the reins of the splinter opposition party. Ncube’s line-up included Chamisa’s close associates like Charlton Hwende who was presented as the secretary-general; Lynnete Karenyi-Kore, as vice-president; while Sessel Zvidzai, Chamisa’s former advisor was presented as the chairperson. Also joining Ncube were the late opposition founding leader, Morgan Tsvangirai’s son Richard, Maureen Kademaunga and Happymore Chidziva who had previously said that they would cling on to the beleaguered Chamisa.
After receiving hefty funding from the West, which came via Zambia, to which Chamisa helped himself while the rest was intercepted by Harare’s security forces, CCC were left to fund their own campaigns.Crucially, Ncube revealed that his party had made the decision to break away from Chamisa’s divisive politics and that he would be engaging the authorities to bring the people of Zimbabwe together, among other key deliverables.
Some excitable media outlets and Chamisa’s allies have, in the recent past, gullibly claimed that Tshabangu was being backed by the CIO and the country’s leadership to destroy CCC, feeding off the deep divisions in the country wrought by the opposition and their Western handlers. In all this, they have conveniently chosen to ignore the glaring leadership frailties of their man as extensively exposed by this publication.
But as Ncube, who has been accused of being a ZANU PF ‘spy’ by successive opposition activists for his unwavering stance on poor leadership in that part of the world, presented his leadership, it became clear why Zimbabweans rejected Chamisa and his stuttering cohorts on August 23 2023. We unequivocally state that their Western-backed ‘plan’ will never see light of day.
Chamisa has failed to justify his spurious claims that is the ‘alternative’ and that the country cannot move forward without him. Equally, Western countries that frantically sought but dismally failed to sneak him into Government after the August 23 2023 harmonised elections have been left with egg on their face as Chamisa and his minions failed to justify the US$5 million election funding availed to him to cull ZANU PF domination.
The glaring fact is that Chamisa’s much touted ‘strategic ambiguity’ (here read one-man band) led to the collapse of the CCC.This is why Ncube’s statements are crucial at this stage — especially on the need to bring Zimbabweans together.
Ncube said his leadership would engage ZANU PF on matters of national interest in preparation for the 2028 elections, ruling out the pursuit for another Government of National Unity that Chamisa has been pushing for with his Zambian allies. “We took responsibility as the National Council, accepting that we slept on the job and failed to do our duty to demand accountability and transparency in a democratic constitution, thereby veering off our democratic principles,” confessed Ncube, subtly highlighting Chamisa’s now public leadership deficiencies.
“We are not going to necessarily engage ZANU PF on the results of the 2023 general elections, but instead, we are going to deal on issues around the conduct of elections based on reports by local, regional and international observer missions.” Tshabangu, said Ncube, was a legitimate leader of the CCC and as such would be engaged to take the country forward. As Ncube was making these pronouncements, Chamisa was typically squandering the opportunity for talks with ZANU PF by sending more than two emissaries whom he has been dumping as he fails to assert his position besides his usual infantile grandstanding.
Following fervent requests for ‘talks’ with ZANU PF by Chamisa, President Emmerson Mnangagwa appointed Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga to handle discussions with the embattled and embittered former opposition leader.
But ZANU PF is increasingly becoming irritated by Chamisa’s antics.All this is stemming from his solitary campaign to reduce ZANU PF’s victory to a push for another GNU, something that Chamisa has been pushing for through his innumerable emissaries.“Chamisa did not need structures (read strategic ambiguity, a plan endorsed and sponsored by Western countries) or even appointable minions post elections; this is why he ran the whole election the way he did,” said Presidential spokesperson George Charamba in last week’s instalment of his column, @Jamwanda2 on Saturday in The Herald.“He was meant to partner ZANU PF, the same way DA today partners the ANC. Most of his appointees would have come from elsewhere, principally from business and the academia.”
Lastly, the plot to derail SADC Summit that will be hosted by Zimbabwe in Harare on August 17-18 is gathering momentum with some traditionally hostile churches being roped in.
Chamisa’s faltering opposition plans to embark on violent demonstrations aimed at stealing the thunder from that prestigious event.
But, as usual, the State is alive to these shenanigans
