2 people destroyed the party that was left by Tsvangirai, says Obama of Zimbabwean politics

ROBERT Chapman, who declared his presidential aspirations for the forthcoming general elections, says power struggles and quarrels have obliterated the capacity of the opposition to dislodge Zimbabwe's ruling party Zanu-PF.

Formed in 1999, the MDC has split more than five times.

Chapman who is anticipated to fight it out against President Emmerson Mnangagwa and CCC leader Nelson Chamisa has asserted that two people destroyed the opposition party that was left by Morgan Tsvangirai.

"Two people destroyed the opposition. Two people destroyed the opposition party that was left by Morgan Tsvangirai. I said to myself if the opposition is occupied by two people who cannot follow their constitution how can they be trusted to lead this country," said Chapman.

The MDC leadership was bitterly disputed after the supreme court judgment in March 2020 which ruled that Chamisa's elevation to the presidium was illegitimate because it didn't follow the party's constitution.

The 2014 MDC-T congress had elected Khupe as Tsvangirai's only deputy and according to the party's constitution she should have assumed interim charge pending an extraordinary congress, but Chamisa had already allegedly usurped the throne and ran against Mnangagwa in the 2018 disputed election.

When Chamisa took over in February 2018 as the leader of Zimbabwe's main opposition party, called the Movement for Democratic Change-Tsvangirai (MDC-T), after the death of Tsvangirai, fissures emerged.

Many critics weren't convinced Chamisa could seriously challenge Zanu-PF.

Nicknamed the Obama of Zimbabwean politics, Chapman has been slowly attracting interest on social media with some analysts saying he deserves credit for introducing a fresh type of politics. He has already drawn comparisons to Dr. Nkosana Moyo from some people.