It can’t be ZANU PF’s business to help opposition sort its mess

Ranga Mataire Group Political Editor

NELSON Chamisa, the leader of the opposition CCC is on an election campaign that appears glaringly uninspiring in the absence of a discernible message.

For a politician who fashions himself as a viable alternative to the governing ZANU PF, nothing so far seems to suggest that he possesses superior intellect or vision.

It is probably the failure to craft an endearing electoral message that has thrust Chamisa back into a predictable default mode of playing victim even in situations where he ought to own responsibility.

Psychologists attribute this tendency of playing victim to serious ineptitude, which is often camouflaged by apportioning blame to imagined adversaries.

Individuals who play the victim card manipulate gullible followers by portraying themselves as victims of circumstances to gain pity or empathy or to evoke compassion.

Playing the victim is the fabrication or exaggeration of victimhood to justify certain bizarre actions, manipulate others as a coping strategy or as an attention seeking gimmick to diffuse responsibility. A person who repeatedly does this is known as a professional victim.

Let us take the example of the 12 aspiring CCC legislators in Bulawayo who were recently disqualified by the High Court for filling their nomination papers after the cut off times. Whatever the outcome of the Supreme Court appeal, Chamisa’s attitude towards the courts and his aspersion that they were captured are never the mark of lawyer and one who commits to abide by the law.

Addressing CCC supporters at Rimuka Grounds in Kadoma, Chamisa said no one should be barred from contesting upcoming polls based on flimsy excuses.

“I will get to Bulawayo, there is no one who will be disqualified. If you disqualify candidates you have literally nullified elections,” said Chamisa to a gullible cheering crowd.

Chamisa threatened to plunge the country into “anarchy” if his 12 aspiring candidates were to be disqualified.

There is everything wrong with what Chamisa said. For starters, he gives the impression that the disqualification of his 12 aspiring candidates was at the behest of an individual or a political organisation.

Far from it, citizens who felt that ZEC had erred by allowing CCC candidates to file nomination papers after the close of stipulated times filed the application.

The decision to disqualify the 12 was reached by a bona fide judge after weighing submissions from both parties. Anyone thus making inferences to the contrary is not just being insincere but is taking the people of Zimbabwe for a ride. And now that the Supreme Court has set aside that High Court judgement, what is Chamisa going to say about the same judiciary he claimed was captured?

Chamisa cannot fool anyone. The sloppiness is his. It was him who directed that no candidate was to file nomination papers without his authorisation.

Given the mammoth logistical task involved in approving all the aspiring candidates nationally, it was always given that something of the sort that happened in Bulawayo was bound to happen.

At the centre of this confusion is his strategic ambiguity approach, which has so far has proven to be a total disaster as candidates waited until the 11th hour to file papers.

In a game of politics, opponents always take advantage of the others’ weaknesses.

One can therefore not blame ZANU PF supporters for exploiting such weaknesses for their own party’s advantage.

It would be asking for too much to expect the ruling party to babysit its opponents including assisting it to file nomination papers. For a man who prides himself in being a darling of the West (whites) and at one time claiming that whites will troupe into the country if he becomes President, it is deceptive for him to play victim.

It is highly deceptive for a man whose political fortunes are cushioned by the same Western nations who have imposed sanctions on the country to make the economy scream and give their preferred candidate’s a head-start.

The political odds are in his favour.

He has access to financial resources donated by Western donors and the Brenthurst Foundation, all anti-liberation politics.

He can therefore not play victim.

He simply lacks the organisational capacity and acumenship needed to run a successful campaign. His political flimflam must be outed for what it is.

Ordinarily, there is nothing wrong in a political leader articulating his or her political grievances.

It is part of a democratic culture for citizens to express grievances and craft a political agenda reflective of their aspirations.

However, there is everything wrong when political mobilisation takes on a sinister form of inventing non-existent victimhood and rally people around it.

There is a disturbing streak in Chamisa’s behaviour and personality, which can be attributed to serious psychological issues that make him cultivate an inflated notion of discrimination and victimhood.

It is sad to note that he seems to carry this victimhood as some kind of badge of honour and is taunting his followers to have a heightened sense of resentment of imagined adversaries.

It is even more worrisome when such a politician has the dubious honour of being a narcissist and a religious demagogue.

It is absurd and treacherous when the perpetrator doubles up as a victim.

Imagined persecution complex seems to be afflicting Chamisa’s mind and is making him paranoid and dysfunctional. Instead of introspection, he is shifting responsibility for his actions to others that he constantly demonises as perpetrators of an unjust system.

In his book, “In Sheep’s Clothing: Understanding and Dealing with Manipulative People”, George K Simon (1996) says manipulators usually present themselves as victims of a situation or action taken by a person.

“Playing victim is usually not done objectively. This means that the person will state the truth of his version to accuse people of being so guilty,” George K Simon says in his seminal text.

This is the same card being played by Chamisa through making unsubstantiated complaints, creating drama, whining and making all manner of excuses for his own follies.

His delusion of grandeur appears to be clouding his own judgement on a number of issues.