'Chamisa should move on'

Political observers suggest that opposition leader Nelson Chamisa should abandon hope for Southern African Development Community (Sadc) intervention in the August 2023 election dispute and instead focus on finding avenues for addressing his grievances.

Chamisa acknowledged in a statement on Monday that Sadc had overlooked his requests to include Zimbabwe on its agenda. Despite his hopes for Sadc's involvement, he admitted that considerable time had passed without any progress.

However, political analysts argue that Zimbabwe no longer holds a prominent position on Sadc's agenda, and Chamisa should not cling to the belief that the regional body will resolve the country's political crisis.

"To expect Sadc to convene a meeting on Zimbabwe is unrealistic and misguided," remarked political analyst Aaron Hamauswa. "The opposition missed its chance immediately after the election when all observer missions condemned the polls. It's now a closed chapter, and Sadc has pressing issues in Mozambique and the DRC to address."

Another analyst, Lazurus Sauti, noted that Zimbabweans were still in election mode post-August 2023. However, Chamisa's position was complicated by his departure from the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) without a clear political constituency.

"People are wondering about the future of opposition politics in the country after Nelson Chamisa's exit from the CCC," Sauti commented. "His recent statement aims to exert pressure on Sadc and Zanu-PF. But considering that the election has concluded, and he no longer leads the CCC, his appeal to Sadc is challenging."

Sadc's upcoming summit in August, to be hosted by Zimbabwe, adds complexity to Chamisa's quest for support. "In this context, Chamisa's prospects for a favorable outcome are slim," Sauti concluded. "As usual, countries like Angola, Botswana, the DRC, Mozambique, Namibia, and Tanzania are likely to support Zanu-PF."