Chamisa censured for delusions

Gibson Nyikadzino and Gibson Mhaka

APPEALS to SADC by former CCC leader Mr Nelson Chamisa to overturn the election results of August last year are illegitimate because he ceased to represent the party whose ticket he used to contest, political parties and analysts have said.

Mr Chamisa, who was trounced in the elections by ZANU PF candidate President Mnangagwa, yesterday addressed journalists in Harare saying he was now waiting for the regional bloc to provide what he termed “a clear path forward to resolve the governance crisis and leadership dispute”.

He did not submit an election petition to the Constitutional Court, as is the right of any presidential candidate who believes that the result did not reflect the will of voters.

The losing 2023 presidential candidate was also condemned for taking Zimbabwean citizens for granted and trying to muddy the regional bloc’s reputation ahead of the 44th Summit of Heads of State to be held in Harare in August. 

SADC is presently working to address more pressing regional issues including the climate change-induced drought, peace and security issues in Mozambique and Eastern DRC and South African elections set for tomorrow.

ZANU PF Director for Information and Publicity, Cde Farai Marapira, said the party was neither moved nor shaken by Mr Chamisa’s latest episode of “sensationalist politics as the people have moved on”.

“We are not worried by Nelson Chamisa. He has always been a sensationalist. Elections have come and gone and he lost all relevance because he feeds on politics of toxicity. 

“He always speaks about ZANU PF, so we are not bothered. We are only focused on development.” 

Cde Marapira said the fact that President Mnangagwa was the incoming SADC chair from August meant the bloc had moved on.

“Chamisa’s claims are false. SADC is moving forward. The only crisis is in his head and that is the miasma of his own making,” Cde Marapira added.

Political analyst Dr Leopold Chakanyuka it was not SADC’s role to nullify elections, “but to play an advisory role”. 

“Mr Chamisa should go back to the drawing board because continuing to dwell in the past is not good for him to grow politically,” he said.

Dr Chakanyuka also said if Mr Chamisa had “a genuine issue”, he should take this opportunity to join other presidential candidates in the Political Actors Dialogue (POLAD) once it is set up, as was done after the 2018 elections. 

“President Mnangagwa has been fair with every political leader, Mr Chamisa should grow politically. 

“SADC is also aware that Zimbabweans are a peaceful people who are now focusing on development. That should tell him a lot,” Dr Chakanyuka added.

LEAD president Ms Linda Masarira said Mr Chamisa’s appeals to SADC were illegitimate as he was no longer a leader of the CCC, whose name he used to contest the elections.

“He had time back then to challenge election results. Now his appeal is nothing, but just mediocre sentiments on the intelligence of the people. 

“He resigned from being a leader of a party he contested under. His timing of the statement tells us that there is an invisible hand that pushed him,” said Ms Masarira. 

Senior opposition leader, Mr Chalton Hwende, who is also Kuwadzana East legislator, has repeatedly told his colleagues that the elections were done and dusted and urged them to start preparing for the 2028 polls now.

Political analyst, Mr Methuseli Moyo, also dismissed Mr Chamisa’s statement saying: “This is nothing but a surrender statement. In a nutshell, Chamisa has catalogued his vein efforts, which he admits have yielded nothing, and says he has now turned to divinity.

“In politics, this is a surrender, in broad daylight. 

“His statement has not said anything, or pointed to any resolution to the crisis he claims there is. He is very good in imagining crises, yet very bad in solving the crises.

“His story is tired. Nobody is interested in it anymore. He is now so, so confused to the extent that he does not even know his designation, and signs off as ‘Servant of the People’. That’s a new one, but which people?”