Chamisa rules out reunion with former opposition allies

CITIZENS Coalition for Change (CCC) founder Nelson Chamisa has firmly ruled out the possibility of reuniting with his former allies in the opposition, dismissing renewed calls for unity as he prepares to launch a new "citizens movement".

Chamisa said individuals who previously worked with him in both the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) and the CCC would not be part of the new formation, accusing them of collaborating with Zanu-PF to undermine the opposition and target him personally.

After abandoning the CCC in January 2024, Chamisa has now formally announced his return to active politics, arguing that his absence from the political frontline left a vacuum that remains unfilled.

His remarks come amid growing calls for opposition forces to unite against Zanu-PF and its controversial 2030 Agenda, which seeks to extend President Emmerson Mnangagwa's term beyond 2028. However, Chamisa made it clear that he has no intention of working again with what he described as "old faces".

Addressing journalists in Harare recently, MDC-T leader Douglas Mwonzora appealed to Chamisa and other former opposition leaders to reunite and form a united front against Zanu-PF. Chamisa dismissed the appeal, accusing Mwonzora of acting as a Zanu-PF agent bent on destroying the opposition.

"I can tell you that everything in the past is not going to be part of the new. You don't use old wineskins to carry new wine and we are clear about that," Chamisa said.

He said his fallout with former colleagues stemmed from what he described as their close relationship with Zanu-PF, which he believes was calculated to weaken the opposition.

"They worked with Zanu-PF to destroy us and that is a common position. Forgiveness is about not carrying grudges, but you can't repeat the same mistakes. Only a dog feeds on its vomit as its meal. We are not dogs," Chamisa said.

During his tenure as MDC secretary-general, Mwonzora presided over the recall of several legislators and councillors aligned to Chamisa, a move widely viewed as an effort to weaken his rival. Chamisa also lost access to party funds under the Political Parties Finance Act, despite being the party's public face during the disputed 2018 elections, and later suffered a similar fate under the CCC.

Chamisa's leadership of the CCC was short-lived following the emergence of Sengezo Tshabangu after the 2023 elections, when he declared himself the party's secretary-general — a post that did not exist under Chamisa's leadership. Through the courts, Tshabangu went on to assert authority over the party, triggering the recall of elected CCC MPs and councillors nationwide and blocking them from contesting in by-elections.

Political analysts have described Tshabangu as a Zanu-PF "Trojan horse", citing his success in multiple court challenges that upheld his actions.

Disillusioned by the developments, Chamisa eventually walked away from the CCC and began laying the groundwork for a new political project.

He said the forthcoming citizens movement is already gaining momentum, particularly in rural areas, with deployees active in communities mobilising and conscientising supporters ahead of its official launch, which he described as his new political "baby".