Chamisa comeback reopens wounds in UMP

The re-emergence of opposition politician Nelson Chamisa on Zimbabwe's political stage has stirred a mix of renewed hope and deep-seated trauma among villagers in Uzumba Maramba Pfungwe (UMP), Zvataida district, where memories of the violence that followed the 2008 elections remain raw nearly two decades later.

During interviews conducted by Truth Diggers over a two-day visit across several wards in UMP, discussions about Chamisa's political comeback quickly shifted to recollections of the terror that engulfed rural communities after the 2008 harmonised elections. Villagers spoke of beatings, burnt homes, destroyed property and years of political marginalisation that followed their perceived support for the opposition.

While some residents said they would continue to support Chamisa despite their past suffering, many questioned whether justice for victims of political violence would ever be realised. There was notable scepticism over what villagers described as Chamisa's increasingly biblical and faith-driven political messaging, with concerns that calls for forgiveness and reconciliation might eclipse accountability for unresolved crimes.

Several villagers said justice delayed risks becoming justice denied, particularly for elderly victims who fear they may not live long enough to see perpetrators held accountable.

The 2008 elections marked one of Zimbabwe's most violent political periods, especially in rural areas, after then opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai defeated long-time Zanu-PF leader Robert Mugabe in the first round of the presidential vote. The subsequent June run-off was marred by widespread reports of intimidation, assaults, arson and forced displacement targeting opposition supporters. Tsvangirai eventually withdrew from the race, citing the violence, leading to the formation of the Government of National Unity (GNU).

UMP was among the districts hardest hit, according to residents, who say the trauma of that period has never been addressed through justice, reparations or meaningful acknowledgement by the state.

Peggy Garu (54) of Mupanduki Village in Ward 15, Uzumba, said voting remains the only avenue through which she believes justice can still be pursued.

"It has been 18 years, but it still feels like yesterday," Garu said, recalling being beaten while carrying her infant son. "As my son grows, I remember that day I almost lost him. I was beaten with logs while he was there, watching."

Despite years of political segregation due to her opposition affiliation, Garu said she remains resolute in demanding justice, constitutionalism and the rule of law. "If elections are the way to get justice, then so be it," she said, adding that she was looking ahead to the 2028 polls.

Another villager, Virimai Chimbwanda (61), an opposition ward chairperson from Musosonwa in Uzumba, described Chamisa's return as filling a leadership vacuum but warned that elections without reforms would not resolve Zimbabwe's political crisis.

"Chamisa left a void which no one managed to fill," Chimbwanda said. "But the environment on the ground is still tense, especially for opposition supporters."

He expressed little faith in future elections conducted under the current framework, arguing that without reforms, polls merely legitimise an unequal system. "It is better to endure suffering than to sanitise illegitimate leadership," he said.

Residents also spoke of economic and political marginalisation, saying rural communities feel forgotten and inferior compared to urban areas. They cited a lack of employment opportunities, limited development projects and restricted access to state resources, adding that political affiliation often determines who benefits from government programmes.

Some villagers said memories of the 2008 violence have been erased from the national conversation, compounding their sense of abandonment. Opposition supporters alleged exclusion from government handouts such as agricultural inputs and food aid, while community meetings chaired by village heads were said to be dominated by the ruling Zanu-PF.

Lawrence Muchato (58) of Chipuriro Village in Ward 15 said the loss of his sister, Fadzai, who he claims was beaten to death after attempting to contest a local authority seat under an opposition ticket, remains a painful reminder of the costs rural communities have borne.

"We may not be professors, but we understand what is happening," Muchato said. "We feel excluded from decision-making, even though political decisions affect us directly."

Villagers also raised concerns about corruption at local levels, accusing village heads of demanding cash and produce during meetings and threatening those who failed to comply with exclusion from aid programmes.

Mary Manomano of Nhakiwa Village alleged that residents are routinely required to pay levies or surrender portions of their harvest without explanation. "This corruption will only end if we go back to the drawing board and uphold the constitution," she said.

Efforts to obtain comment from Zanu-PF were unsuccessful. Party director of information Farai Marapira had not responded to written questions, while political commissar Munyaradzi Machacha and spokesperson Christopher Mutsvangwa were unreachable.

Cosmas Konono, who contested the Uzumba Constituency under the CCC banner in the 2023 elections, said political intimidation has persisted in the district even after recent polls. "Violence did not end in 2008. It continued through later elections, including 2023," he said.

Long-time opposition activist Kudzanai Dzuda warned that faith-based politics must be matched with concrete action to address unresolved abuses. "Every election cycle reopens old wounds," he said, urging Chamisa not to abandon supporters during periods of political turmoil.

"Prayer may be your way, and we respect that," Dzuda said. "But we also need clear steps that show how the suffering of the people will finally be addressed."