Nelson Chamisa’s resignation as leader of CCC has received worldwide coverage.
“Mr Chamisa, a 45-year-old Christian pastor and lawyer, is expected to set up a new party. He said that “giving up or giving in is not an option,” reported BBC.
“It is not clear how many of the CCC’s remaining MPs and councillors will follow him.”
Zanu PF has never honoured its promise to hold free, fair and credible elections from the word go. In the country’s first elections in 1980, the party made it clear “the bush war would continue if the party did not win the election. Of course, the people voted to end the bush war.
The 1985 election took place in the middle of the Gukurahundi massacre whose primary purpose was to force PF Zapu, Zanu PF’s main political opponent, to give up its identity. PF Zapu leaders finally relented and signed the 1987 Unity Accord opening the door for the imposition of the de facto one-party, Zanu PF, state.
The 1990 and 1995 elections were not free, fair and credible and Zanu PF’s excuse was that multi-party democracy threatened the peace, unity and development brought about by the 1987 Unity accord. It was just a feeble excuse for denying the people their fundamental right to a meaningful say in the governance of the country.
By the late 1990s the nation had come to the conclusion that Zanu PF would never honour the people’s right to a meaningful vote and so the people will have to risk the regime’s wrath by electing opposition members whose primary task was to implement the democratic reforms designed to stop Zanu PF rigging elections. Alas! Zanu PF blatantly rigged the 2023 elections proof that the MDC/CCC opposition leaders have failed to stop Zanu PF rigging elections. Why?
The historic facts of why MDC/CCC leaders have sold out by failing to implement even one token reform in 23 years including the 5 years in the GNU, are well documented. And how, since the GNU, they have participated in flawed elections to give Zanu PF legitimacy and thus perpetuating the dictatorship out of greed.
“While he (Chamisa) does enjoy significant support, especially in urban areas, his critics say Mr Chamisa’s weak leadership led to deep rifts in the opposition, and that has only helped President Emmerson Mnangagwa cement his grip on power,” continued the BBC report.
Whilst many outsiders including SADC leaders have noted with dismay that it is MDC/CCC leaders greed and incompetence that have helped Zanu PF stay in power these last 23 years. The outsiders have also noted that the majority of Zimbabweans have failed to comprehend the opposition leaders’ blatant betrayal of common cause of implementing the reforms and hence the why CCC continue to enjoy significant public support.
Up to the 1995, elections could be viewed as a simple binary choice between Zanu PF, the bad guys, and opposition, the good guys. By 1999 a new level of complexity was added, the opposition primary task was to implement the democratic reforms to stop Zanu PF rigging elections.
After 23 years, including 5 in the GNU and not even one token reform in place; it is clear MDC/CCC leaders are corrupt and incompetent and not up to the set task of implementing the reforms. The reason why many Zimbabweans still continue to support MDC/CCC leaders is because these individuals are simple minded people whose view elections as a simple binary choice of Zanu PF vs opposition, the bad guys vs the good guys.
Accepting that the MDC/CCC opposition must be judged on their ability to implement the democratic reforms demands thinking outside the box of the binary choice – a quantum leap which, unfortunately, many have failed to make.
When Nelson Chamisa launched CCC in January 2022 he promised to cleanse the new party of all the “rotten apples” in MDC A. Today, two years latter he is having to abandon CCC has been “contaminated” and “hijacked” by Zanu PF. The truth is CCC has failed to deliver any meaningful changed just like MDC A and MDC itself before it because MDC leaders are corrupt and breathtakingly incompetent. They have proven this beyond all reasonable doubt during the GNU when they failed to implement even one token reform.
Chamisa’s new political party will not implement any democratic reforms just as CCC failed because the new party will be led by the same corrupt and incompetent leaders recycled from CCC. You cannot make a silk purse out of a sower’s ear.
“Giving up or giving in is not an option!” boasted Chamisa. After 23 years including 5 in the GNU and not even one token reform in place, an informed and diligent electorate should have elected some one else a long time ago!