Nelson Chamisa: The Biblical Joshua that never was

With Zimbabwe being largely a Christian nation where religion and politics are juxtaposed, the former Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) leader Nelson Chamisa touted himself as the Biblical Joshua saying he will lead the people of Zimbabwe to the Promised Land full of milk and honey.

Chamisa gave himself the moniker 'Biblical Joshua' soon after the death of Movement for Democratic Change (MDC-T) leader Morgan Tsvangirai whom he equated to the Biblical Moses following his death on February 14, 2018 before defeating Zanu-PF.

Equipped with oratory prowess, Chamisa made Zimbabweans dream again, as they had had during the Government of National Unity (GNU), with the youthful opposition leader quickly stealing hearts even as the hordes of MDC-T supporters were still mourning Tsvangirai, assuring all and sundry that indeed, 'God is in it'.

Unlike in the biblical context however, the transition from Tsvangirai to Chamisa was full of contestation and betrayal that saw the division of the party, and ultimately the death of MDC as the main opposition brand name.

During Tsvangirai's funeral for instance, Chamisa loyalists victimized Dr Thokozani Khupe, who was one of the MDC deputies, threatening her into unpopularity with opposition supporters who now saw her as a sellout, all thanks to Chamisa's tricks.

Through it all, Chamisa still maintained grip on the opposition, working with former renegades Tendai Biti and Welshman Ncube who were leading People's Democratic Party (PDP) and MDC-N respectively to consolidate a coalition movement (MDC-Alliance) that had been created by Tsvangirai.

At all rallies in the run up to the 2018 harmonized elections, Chamisa would call Ncube and Biti to the stage and ask them to confirm to supporters how Tsvangirai anointed him before his demise, giving hope to Zimbabweans.

The two would go on to reinforce claims that they were instructed to work with Chamisa as the leader of the MDC-Alliance, which some thought was a gimmick by Biti and Ncube who now sought a comeback as their respective parties were going under.

Flaunted as a youthful, vibrant and charismatic opposition leader, Chamisa however often got caught up in inconsistent statements and claims, which were mostly rubbished by allies and sympathizers as he kept assuring them that 'God is in it'.

In many of his addresses since 2018, Chamisa has always been known for brandishing bible verses, including the fact that he was the biblical Joshua, promising to beat Mnangagwa in elections without breaking any sweat.

A rude awakening awaited come 2018 elections—the 'Joshua' failed to deliver on his promise as the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) announced Chamisa's rival and ruling party Zanu-PF leader President Emmerson Mnangagwa as the winner.

Realizing that the much anticipated results came back negative, Chamisa pulled the rigging card, rallied supporters to sing the same hymn, a narrative he still maintains until now, despite earlier claiming that just like the walls of Jericho, Zanu-PF was as good as gone.

This was despite him coming back from losing MDC-Alliance to Douglas Mwonzora, to which he responded by creating a fresh opposition movement, Citizen Coalition for Change (CCC).

"Mr Mnangagwa is not prepared to win, he is plotting to rig. I told SADC that he stole the elections in 2018, this time I will not accept to allow him to rig the election again," Chamisa said while addressing supporters in Harare in 2023.

Again, Chamisa's envisioned Promised Land proved to be a pipe dream as Mnangagwa won again in 2023 dashing the hopes of poverty-stricken Zimbabweans who had seen an alternative in him.

More political mistakes cost him his new party, CCC in 2023, leading to recalls of many of his lieutenants who had been elected into Parliament and local authorities, despite him still commanding a large following.

In response to the 2023 post-election betrayal by little-known Sengezo Tshabangu, and later Biti, Ncube, Lynnete Karenyi-Kore and others, Chamisa jumped off-ship, folding into ambiguity, leaving supporters, sympathizers, and allies alike confused, while the land of honey and milk remains elusive.

Not the biblical Joshua

Analysts have said comparing Chamisa to the biblical Joshua is to overrate his capabilities as he has proven to be nowhere near the biblical figure, because many are wondering if God is really 'in it'.

Dr Wellington Gadzikwa said the statement by Chamisa that 'God is in it' is a meaningless cliché he was hiding behind, adding that Chamisa should apply rules of the political game rather than hiding behind Bible verses.

"We don't know which god he is talking about when he says that. Politics is a game that has rules and the rules of the game have to be applied.

"Chamisa cannot be the biblical Joshua unless in a cartoon series—he abandoned the people at a critical time and was not even apologetic. People had invested resources, time, emotions but he chose to go.

Dr Gadzikwa berated the Strategic Ambiguity theme used by the CCC from its infancy, saying it was Chamisa's biggest undoing as a leader.

Political analyst Professor Charles-PFukwa said Chamisa being a good orator made him throw some religious metaphors in his speeches to appeal to Christians who constitute the majority of Zimbabweans, with a chunk of them desperate for economic change.

"Chamisa still has a long way to go until he has a chance to lead. I don't see that happening soon but we can always wait for the ballot," Prof-PFukwa said.

Losing grip on deployees

Despite announcing his decision to leave CCC on January 2, 2024 citing ruling party interference, Chamisa tried to influence parliamentarians and councilors elected under CCC to pull out of parliament and council, with only a paltry number complying.

Tshabangu who used Chmaisa's 'strategic ambiguity' against its master facilitated the recalling of legislators, including two first and youngest female Mayors.

Chamisa attempted to maintain grip on remaining party deployees, which was in vain as their bid for reelection through by-elections failed dismally, and again, his faction lost leader-of-opposition in parliament where Tshabangu was elected to lead ahead of Chamisa loyalist Clifford Hlatshwayo.

Recently, Chamisa's faction lost again when his loyalists instructed CCC mayors and council chairpersons not to attend the Chitepo School of Ideology seminar in Harare, an order which was ignored by all.

Only one mayor, David Coltart did not attend, because he had other pressing issues to attend to, showing that the CCC party has already bolted from the stable like a horse without the rider.

Political Scientist Dr Arthur Fidelis Chikerema said Chamisa came in when the country had no political freedom and confronted Zanu-PF when it was not fashionable to do so but he lost direction along the way.

"When he was a student at Harare Polytechnic, mingling with student leaders from UZ and NUST, by then it was not easy, the political environment at that time was so closed, and brutal under Mugabe's ruthless regime.

"Chamisa, Biti, Learnmore Jongwe and Job Sikhala were bold and courageous enough to confront the Mugabe regime against the formation of a one party state. Chamisa rose through the ranks from youth leader, spokesperson of the main wing, organizer of the main wing. Contesting the secretary general post despite losing to Douglas Mwonzora and later being appointed third VP.

"This guy's history is so robust to a point where everyone had conviction that he will lead a political party and Zimbabwe at large.

"Unfortunately his transition from Tsvangirai was unconstitutional and was based on personal convictions. In the MDC Alliance, distribution of posts was not clear; Chamisa was pervasive. The only thing he wanted was to consolidate power at the top, which was not fair. He should have gone to congress rather than violently taking power from legitimate leader Khupe.

"At the moment, Chamisa is not in the right frame of mind. That is why some people are saying he is a project and people don't have faith or trust in him though he still has support," said Dr Chikerema.

What's new for 2028?

Zimbabwe will go for another presidential election in 2028, an election which will likely see Chamisa returning to try his luck again in delivering his 'Joshua' promise to the multitude of change-desperate Zimbabweans.

While age may still be thinly on his side, proving to the young people why they should vote for him may be a mammoth task given the circumstances surrounding his political stamina.

It also remains a mystery if Chamisa will retain the same advisors who have made him look like a political jester, bringing into question his ability to lead the country.
Great Zimbabwe University Media lecturer Dr Last Alfandika Alfandika said Chamisa should at least step aside and help create a new, dynamic political challenge.

"While he still has relevance, I believe, it may be in another capacity. If he wishes to contest in 2028, it will be an unfortunate perpetuation of a cycle of incompetence and stagnation for opposition politics in Zimbabwe," said Dr Alfandika.

Media lecturer Dr Gift Gwindingwe weighed in saying the way Chamisa came to lead the main opposition disqualified him from being the Joshua of Zimbabwe come 2028.
"There is nothing Joshuaic in Chamisa besides duping unsuspecting citizens with high-sounding nothings," said Dr Gwindingwe.

Political commentator Dr Nicholas Aribino said unlike Chamisa, not at any given time did Joshua abandon his people with or without the intention of coming back.

"Joshua never left his flock; a shepherd cannot leave his flock at the mercy of vultures. A leader has a responsibility to stand with his followers and a duty of care that compels him or her to lead from the front," said Dr Aribino.

He said the opposition had to think outside the box and lay strategies to counter Zanu-PF if it so wishes for future elections, as the strategic ambiguity had proved disastrous for Chamisa and his party.

"Chamisa is damaged goods politically, if not a lost cause. He is now like a mosquito sitting on an elephant, politically speaking. Sometimes I think that he is a stage performer of the ruling party. Imagine just leaving 2m followers like that without having consulted them," he said.