Zanu-PF not moved by Chamisa's 'sensationalist politics'

Political parties and analysts have criticized former CCC leader, Mr. Nelson Chamisa's appeals to the Southern African Development Community (Sadc) to invalidate the August 23, 2023 election results, labeling them as illegitimate. They argue that Chamisa no longer represents the party under whose ticket he contested the elections.

Chamisa, who lost the presidential race to President Mnangagwa, recently addressed the media in Harare, urging Sadc to intervene in what he terms "a governance crisis and leadership dispute." However, his actions have been condemned for undermining the reputation of the regional bloc, especially ahead of the 44th Summit of Heads of State scheduled to be held in Harare in August.

Zanu-PF's Director of Information and Publicity, Farai Marapira, dismissed Chamisa's statements, stating that the party remains unfazed by his "sensationalist politics." Marapira emphasized that the elections have concluded, and the people have moved on, focusing on developmental issues.

Similarly, political analysts criticized Chamisa for misunderstanding Sadc's role in elections and urged him to shift his focus to constructive political engagement. They emphasized that Sadc's function is advisory and not to nullify elections. Some analysts suggested that Chamisa should engage in President Mnangagwa's Polad platform for losing presidential candidates to address his concerns rather than dragging Sadc into the matter.

Lead president, Ms. Linda Masarira, echoed these sentiments, stating that Chamisa's appeals to Sadc lack legitimacy since he no longer leads the CCC, the party under whose name he contested the elections.

President Mnangagwa, set to become the incoming Sadc Chair, won the 2023 elections with 52.6 percent of the vote, while Chamisa garnered 44 percent. Smaller political parties collectively received 3.4 percent of the vote.