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Dr Masimba Mavaza
Charismatic leadership is defined by a leader who uses his or her communication skills, persuasiveness and charm to influence others.
Charismatic leaders, given their ability to connect with people on a deep level, are especially valuable to a country which yearns for true and honest leadership.
President Mnangagwa the Presidential candidate for ZANU PF has the experience of navigating a country that was facing a crisis and was struggling to move forward.
Now Zimbabwe has gained the needed traction and every sector of the economy is rolling across the jungle of hardships to the clear destination of prosperity.
This shows Cde Mnangagwa is a power star and has mastered the charisma of winning and leading. Zimbabwe now needs a Powerstar and not a pastor.
President Mnangagwa has displayed a leadership in form of professional guidance built on a foundation of strong communication skills, persuasiveness and even a little bit of charm to help him get the most out of everyone who works for the country.
He has worked for the best interest of each and every Zimbabwean without discrimination.
President Mnangagwa is a leader who has humour. He can present a vision lightly using humour but still manage to rope in people to support the initiative and achieve it.
It is a common human instinct which has been bestowed in the President.
Being charismatic is a huge asset for a leader.
The President can relate with ordinary people and charm them.
He knows how to handle power and use it for the benefit of his country.
On the other hand, CCC leader Nelson Chamisa uses his pastoral influence and tries to portray his confusion as charisma.
Some leaders can get people to do some pretty awful things. As a pastor turned politician, Chamisa reminds me of Jim Jones who got his 900 of his People’s Temple to commit mass suicide in the jungles of Guyana.
It is difficult to compare a pastor to a power star who cleans the mess and map the way forward for his followers.
The real question is whether Chamisa is better at winning the hearts of the voters than at winning souls.
Politics, it seems, has become a two sided activity. Politicians are simultaneously salesmen and producers. They first sell appealing images and then make good practices. But these two do not always go together.
Zimbabweans on social media have been bombarded by negative propaganda aimed at soiling the Cde Mnangagwa, the power star. But the truth is stubborn, the President has managed to keep the country afloat.
Chamisa in his childish campaigns has castigated China and Russia. It is not a secret that China’s economy is taking the world by a storm.
If he is serious about being Zimbabwe’s president, Chamisa should be laying a foreign policy foundation by courting China and other economic gurus.
His leashed dog syndrome will drive the country into a ditch if given the opportunity to lead.
Chamisa should understand that politics is not a church. We must realise that likeability, relatability, humour, wit, charm, good looks and a little disregard for convention have always helped candidates win elections.
Policy positions, character, and experience in Government help too.
The personality associated with charisma are seemingly more important to voters than a candidate’s experience or stance on issues.
Right now, in the run-up to the August elections, Zimbabwean voters are focused on who can lead the country post August 23 and development is a crucial factor.
The choice is easy. Look at the one with V11.
The one with the proof of development.
The problem with Chamisa is focusing on being a pastor in politics.
Preaching charisma has little to do with the things that voters should care about when choosing political leaders.
International and local political scientists have confirmed that President Mnangagwa has displayed more confidence in his leadership abilities.
Chamisa gives a false impression as he focuses on perceived emotional intelligence rather than perceived leadership ability or overall likability.
Since voters are more likely to be persuaded by a charismatic leader’s message, persuasive abilities are an important aspect of effective leadership.
Since perceptions of political pastors are highly influenced by arbitrary traits of the leader, and since religious charismatic leadership can be counterproductive, it is morally risky for followers to value it.
By voting for a pastor who is not a power star, the voter will be making a mistake as a citizen.
This is because voters have civic duties to decide who they support based on the issues he can solve. If a person decides to vote, they have a duty to do so with an informed position.
So when voters give their support based primarily on a candidate’s pastoral charisma, their support is not based on the relevant reasons.
The electorate should be careful to vote for development and freedom.
Since supporting an immoral, undemocratic and immature leader is a moral mistake, voters have a duty to carefully deliberate on their choice and scrutinise the developments made by the candidate they want.
Either way, citizens who end up supporting CCC choose recklessly without considering the reasons.
In these cases, no matter how appealing a candidate seems, it is always important to look carefully at the issues. Voting on the basis of charm and charisma alone is not worth the risk.
As Zimbabweans, we must know that times may be tough, the economic climate may shift in real time and may continue to do so in the coming weeks and months.
But what has not shifted—and will not ever—is the need to protect the legacy of our country and our freedom.
Never take this peace and freedom for granted. It was watered by the blood of many.
Online Reporter