Why Chamisa and Grace won't kiss and tell

It seems like the greatest soap opera in Zimbabwe these days is the seemingly on and off romance between MDC Alliance President Nelson Chamisa and Grace and Robert Mugabe.

We have heard both sides admit there are burgeoning alliances, then denials, and sometimes something in-between. It has been the cliff-hanger of the election season.

What we know for certain is that there have been very positive talks between Chamisa and the Mugabes and their proxy party, the National Patriotic Front (NPF). What can not be denied is that NPF spokesperson Jealously Mawarire was honoured by being a leading speaker at the recent MDC Alliance rally in Harare.

In addition, other NPF members also took pride of place at the march, including former Zanu PF Harare South MP Shadreck Mashayamombe and former Chipango militia leader Jim Kunaka.

What also can not be denied is that Chamisa surprised everyone by seeming to give the Mugabes a clean bill of health and said there would be no investigation or justice meted out against the former president. The questions surrounding why he would treat the last 36 years as if they didn't happen raised many eyebrows.

"I suspect he's going to vote for the MDC," came Chamisa's coy answer to the critics about who Mugabe was supporting.

So the facts are laid bare, but the truth is now being concealed because of the righteous indignation felt by the MDC leader by many of his party's supporters who suffered so terribly under the Mugabe regime.

Only a few days ago MDC spokespeople and NPF representatives were shouting from the rooftops about their official cooperation or union. However, because of purely political considerations, what was open is now secret, what was said loudly is now being said in a hushed whisper.

It is clear that things couldn't have become stale overnight, so there must be an agreement and understanding to keep things muted for now. However, this will all change after the elections when the NPF loyalists will have ensured their supporters vote for Chamisa in any numbers they can muster, and history teaches us that the Mugabes know how to enlarge their voting numbers.

After the dust has settled, and if Chamisa wins, the Mugabes will be the recipient of largesse and gratitude from the MDC leader. The deal, whatever it is that is being struck, will be actualised, and will possibly make the Mugabes two of the most powerful people in Zimbabwe once again.

This is the nightmare scenario for many MDC supporters and while before it was being played out in open view, now it is being played out behind closed doors.

I couldn't understand for the longest time why and how Chamisa would want to get into bed with the Mugabes. Nonetheless, I fully understand why they now seek to keep their alliance highly secretive.

This way, they get the NPF and Mugabe loyalist vote, and they don't lose the votes of people like me who are disgusted at the mere thought of the Mugabes being involved in our party.

This is why Chamisa and Grace won't kiss and tell.