Opinion / Columnist
Chamisa in political quandary?
27 May 2021 at 17:31hrs | Views
The embattled MDC Alliance leader, Nelson Chamisa's lack of vision is coming back to haunt him as his support base appears to be dwindling. Chamisa, who was defeated by president Emmerson Mnangagwa in 2018 presidential elections, appears to be clueless about the MDC A's strategy. This has resulted in people such as Transform Zimbabwe leader, Jacob Ngarivhume capitalising on Chamisa's perceived lack of political strategy to present themselves as more astute opposition leaders ahead of the 2023 harmonised elections.
Ngarivhume is currently conducting clean up campaigns around Harare. This gimmick, although considered desperate by others, is proving to be a masterstroke as more MDC Alliance members and sympathizers are now viewing Ngarivhume as a more serious and mature politician than Chamisa. Ngarivhume, who in 2018 was one of the principals of the MDC Alliance, might have studied Chamisa's political weaknesses and is now putting in place measures to replace Chamisaas the foremost opposition leader. Ngarivhume's clean up campaigns are meant to create the impression that he is the best leader and to expose failure by Chamisa's councillors to clean and tidy up cities and towns across the country.
A considerable number of potential voters are pressing Ngarivhume to be brave enough to seize the opportunity and lead efforts to coalesce all opposition forces ahead of the 2023elections. Ngarivhume is intelligent and ambitious. This explains why he left the MDC Alliance. He is now feigning closeness to Chamisa in order to create a bigger support base. If this strategy works, Ngarivhume will pull the carpet from underneath Chamisa's feet and emerge the leader of a united opposition.
Ngarivhume is also a man who leads from the front as opposed to Chamisa who is generally perceived as timid. This is why Ngarivhume is gaining popularity with most of the opposition supporters as he is being viewed as a doer and a militant leader.
Forces in the MDC Alliance have revealed that Ngarivhume now commands respect among members of the MDC Alliance and within G40 circles for his "strategic prowess". Some senior MDC Alliance officials hold the view that he should be appointed MDC Alliance's deputy leader, thus creating a more vibrant triumvirate at the second tier of the MDC Alliance's leadership, by simultaneously getting rid of one of the current deputy leaders. The long term strategy is that Ngarivhume would take over from Chamisa in the event of the latter's likely defeat in the 2023 elections or incapacitation.
One MDC Alliance senior member has gone further and argued that in fact Ngarivhume is already leading, or at least inspiring that party. He said, "Watch this space. The Alliance will soon embark on some of Ngarivhume's strategies such as clean up operations and breaking the unity of SADC and AU states on the Zimbabwe issue. We are more inspired, thanks to Jacob".
Ngarivhume is currently conducting clean up campaigns around Harare. This gimmick, although considered desperate by others, is proving to be a masterstroke as more MDC Alliance members and sympathizers are now viewing Ngarivhume as a more serious and mature politician than Chamisa. Ngarivhume, who in 2018 was one of the principals of the MDC Alliance, might have studied Chamisa's political weaknesses and is now putting in place measures to replace Chamisaas the foremost opposition leader. Ngarivhume's clean up campaigns are meant to create the impression that he is the best leader and to expose failure by Chamisa's councillors to clean and tidy up cities and towns across the country.
A considerable number of potential voters are pressing Ngarivhume to be brave enough to seize the opportunity and lead efforts to coalesce all opposition forces ahead of the 2023elections. Ngarivhume is intelligent and ambitious. This explains why he left the MDC Alliance. He is now feigning closeness to Chamisa in order to create a bigger support base. If this strategy works, Ngarivhume will pull the carpet from underneath Chamisa's feet and emerge the leader of a united opposition.
Forces in the MDC Alliance have revealed that Ngarivhume now commands respect among members of the MDC Alliance and within G40 circles for his "strategic prowess". Some senior MDC Alliance officials hold the view that he should be appointed MDC Alliance's deputy leader, thus creating a more vibrant triumvirate at the second tier of the MDC Alliance's leadership, by simultaneously getting rid of one of the current deputy leaders. The long term strategy is that Ngarivhume would take over from Chamisa in the event of the latter's likely defeat in the 2023 elections or incapacitation.
One MDC Alliance senior member has gone further and argued that in fact Ngarivhume is already leading, or at least inspiring that party. He said, "Watch this space. The Alliance will soon embark on some of Ngarivhume's strategies such as clean up operations and breaking the unity of SADC and AU states on the Zimbabwe issue. We are more inspired, thanks to Jacob".
Source - Innocent Mujeri
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