Opinion / Columnist
No Nkululeko Sibanda, Zimbabweans are not stupid
21 Jul 2018 at 16:23hrs | Views
I was disappointed, but sadly not surprised, to see an opinion piece by Chamisa spokesperson Nkululeko Sibanda entitled "landslide victory for Chamisa" in Saturday's media.
After all, his article came just 24 hours after an AfroBarometer poll has revealed that Mnangagwa was leading, and the overwhelming favourite to win, next week's election. The wording of the AfroBarometer press release, that a Chamisa victory "lies within the realm of reasonable possibilities", is a clear indication that while a Chamisa victory is possible, it is not the likely outcome.
And so I was speechless to read the opening claim to Sibanda's piece, that the outcome will be "an outright victory for Nelson Chamisa, as indicated by all credible opinion polls. Chamisa will garner no less than 65% of the vote…"
Which credible polls exactly? This AfroBarometer survey showing Chamisa on 37%, or all the other polls showing larger leads for ED.
This is wishful thinking pure and simple. Willing something to happen, and throwing a few numbers in for good measure doesn't make it scientific. It just shows that you are trying to fool the Zimbabwean people. But we are not fools.
This belongs in the fiction section of a child's bookstore, and certainly nowhere near a serious newspaper or website.
Now we understand why Chamisa was so confident that he would win 70% that he offered his sister in a bet if he failed. If these are the numerical skills of Chamisa's advisors, he should change his team and fast before he loses everything in hopeless bets!
I advise Sibanda, Chamisa and their supporters to bear in mind the words of American politician Daniel Patrick Moynihan, who said that "Everyone is entitled to his own opinion, but not his own facts."
So if you want to claim Chamisa is going to win a landslide victory then go ahead, that is your opinion.
But just do not claim there is any factual or rational basis for your claims. You are making fools out of yourselves.
The Zimbabwean people are not stupid.
After all, his article came just 24 hours after an AfroBarometer poll has revealed that Mnangagwa was leading, and the overwhelming favourite to win, next week's election. The wording of the AfroBarometer press release, that a Chamisa victory "lies within the realm of reasonable possibilities", is a clear indication that while a Chamisa victory is possible, it is not the likely outcome.
And so I was speechless to read the opening claim to Sibanda's piece, that the outcome will be "an outright victory for Nelson Chamisa, as indicated by all credible opinion polls. Chamisa will garner no less than 65% of the vote…"
Which credible polls exactly? This AfroBarometer survey showing Chamisa on 37%, or all the other polls showing larger leads for ED.
This is wishful thinking pure and simple. Willing something to happen, and throwing a few numbers in for good measure doesn't make it scientific. It just shows that you are trying to fool the Zimbabwean people. But we are not fools.
This belongs in the fiction section of a child's bookstore, and certainly nowhere near a serious newspaper or website.
Now we understand why Chamisa was so confident that he would win 70% that he offered his sister in a bet if he failed. If these are the numerical skills of Chamisa's advisors, he should change his team and fast before he loses everything in hopeless bets!
I advise Sibanda, Chamisa and their supporters to bear in mind the words of American politician Daniel Patrick Moynihan, who said that "Everyone is entitled to his own opinion, but not his own facts."
So if you want to claim Chamisa is going to win a landslide victory then go ahead, that is your opinion.
But just do not claim there is any factual or rational basis for your claims. You are making fools out of yourselves.
The Zimbabwean people are not stupid.
Source - Joice Tsitsi
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