MOSES MATENGA
An ally of Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) former leader Nelson Chamisa has accused his erstwhile boss of dictatorship and shepherding the once vibrant opposition into oblivion in what he said was a clear case of betrayal of “democratic struggle stalwarts” including the late former Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai.
The statement comes as the opposition is in shambles amid deep-rooted divisions, mudslinging and splits with many accusing Chamisa of failing to unite with disgruntled elements leading to the chaos.
Chamisa was forced to quit as leader of the CCC in a huff last month claiming infiltration of the party.
In his statement, Chamisa said he will soon announce his new political move but before the announcement, his loyalists have been canvassing for support across the country in a new movement that has adopted blue as its colour.
A former MDC-T national council member who remained close to Chamisa until the latest development, Lovemore Chinoputsa, accused the former student leader of listening to rumour-mongers close to him adding those have created “popular dictatorship.”
He said more factions have emerged in the opposition since Chamisa’s resignation.
“However, with the resignation of the leader it seems more factions have been created and I can number them to four or five. The sum of it all is that the toxicity coming from all the factions is sickening and energy draining,” Chinoputsa said.
“They remain wolves in sheep clothing who have taken it upon themselves to gate keep and frustrate many people out of the party. These pseudo revolutionaries feed into the fears of the leader (Chamisa) to constantly whisper into his ears that there are people who want to wrestle leadership from him.”
“Their end game cannot be understood, their motives cannot be understood, their handlers remain a mystery and I suspect that they are strategically positioned around the leader to ensure that he is in constant fear of a non-existent threat. I wonder how such behaviour can ever win Zimbabwe for change when numbers are constantly and consistently being reduced every day.”
He said many were tired within the opposition ranks.
“In my view, there are many people now who cannot keep up with this madness and who would rather watch from the terraces as the dog eat dog situation in the opposition continues unabated. There are many in the trenches who do not subscribe to this mudslinging. They would rather see order prevailing,” he said.
“The efforts of president Morgan Tsvangirai have surely gone to waste with the way the opposition is being run in this country.”
“I and many of our leaders have willingly been contributing to the mess in the opposition by keeping quiet where we ought to have spoken out, for accepting to be overpowered by a few excitable characters, for elevating a mortal man to the levels of a semi-god who cannot be questioned, who cannot be held accountable, who should think and do everything alone and who should always have his views taken as the superior views of the day.”
Chinoputsa said the silence was meant to remain “politically correct.”
“I am part of the many that have aided in the creation of a dictatorship. I apologise and wish to state that I have reached my Damascene moment and will never be found perpetuating such anti-revolutionary tendencies.”
“I simply refuse. A One-man band that has been given the leeway to transform itself into a fully-fledged dictatorship that does not value consensus building, conflict resolution and collective decision making cannot be tolerated in the 21st Century,” Chinoputsa added.
“Conscious of the fact that our Zimbabwean politics is binary in nature, having weighed the advantages and disadvantages of just wanting to be seen to be politically correct by siding and aligning with the popular character of the day, I have decided to, with immediate effect, disassociate with partisan politics, by quitting politics and move away from the toxic politics of the day.”
“In short we need a broad based meeting of minds that transcends imaginary political lines, generations, tribes, race to make Zimbabwe work again. I find this lacking in Zimbabwe at the moment and I hope that even as I retreat into my shell and embark on life as a private citizen, God will raise one man or woman to take up this task.”
