Mugabe was a baby when it comes to dictatorship and tyranny, says Chamisa

Former Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) leader Nelson Chamisa has claimed that President Emmerson Mnangagwa's appointment of his former director of protocol, Brilliant Dube, to the Senate has exposed what he described as the Government's plan to manipulate the Constitution and extend the President's stay in office.

Chamisa made the remarks on X on Wednesday, a day after Mnangagwa recommended Dube for appointment to the Senate.

Dube, who previously served as director of protocol in Chamisa's office when he was leader of the CCC, was among 10 additional senators appointed by Mnangagwa under Constitutional Amendment No. 3.

The other appointees are businessman Kudakwashe Tagwirei, Jabulani Sibanda, Godwills Masimirembwa, Mary Mliswa, Nokuthula Matsikenyeri, Lucy Chitaga, retired General Gibson Mashingaidze, Makosini Hlongwane and Irene Mutumba.

Chamisa said Dube's appointment confirmed suspicions he had held since the emergence of Sengezo Tshabangu and his subsequent departure from the CCC.

"When Tshabangu happened and when I left the CCC snake pit, many were simply too slow to see ED's endgame: manipulating the Constitution and using every available means to illegally extend illegitimate term in office," Chamisa wrote.

He accused the Mnangagwa administration of presiding over unprecedented levels of political manipulation, bribery and state capture.

Chamisa said the situation under Mnangagwa had gone beyond what Zimbabwe experienced under the late former President Robert Mugabe.

"With what I have personally been through and what we are witnessing now, Mugabe almost looks like an amateur or a baby when it comes to dictatorship and tyranny," he said.

"The scale of bribery, infiltration and manipulation through money, trinkets, state capture, and the abuse of power is staggering. It is operating at a level never imagined or witnessed before."

Despite what he described as growing political challenges, Chamisa said the struggle against the Government would continue.

"But then fighting evil is never easy and will not stop. The struggle continues. Hope is not lost. Good will ultimately win and defeat all evil," he said.

He further suggested that recent developments had exposed individuals he accused of being infiltrators and political pretenders.

"The true colours are coming out. Only that we know what most people don't…. Now it's easy to start afresh because pretenders and infiltrators are now fully known and more will come out. We're starting all over again. A fresh start!" Chamisa said.

Dube's appointment has attracted attention within opposition circles because of her previous close working relationship with Chamisa and her more recent association with the Tendai Biti-led Constitution Defenders Forum (CDF).

The appointments come amid renewed political debate over Constitutional Amendment No. 3 and the future political succession of Zimbabwe, with opposition figures questioning the Government's intentions and the extent of presidential powers under the amended constitutional framework.