Opinion / Columnist
Opposition now dead as dodo
23 Sep 2024 at 18:31hrs | Views
The opposition political vacuum that is currently prevailing in the country is actually draining away all the hope of most progressive Zimbabweans who are yearning for change and trying to unshackle themselves from the Zanu PF bondage, which has suffocated most Zimbabweans at home and abroad.
Most people thought the Citizens Coalition of Change, which was led by Advocate Nelson Chamisa, was going to wrestle power from the unfashionable and undesirable Zanu PF leadership, which has brought the country to its knees.
The young and flamboyant leader was robbed of the election and saw his party being marooned and yoked like a cow being led to the slaughterhouse.
Most political analysts and commentators accused and blamed Nelson Chamisa of employing strategic ambiguity, which gave an opportunity to the regime to use Sengezo Tshabangu, who claimed the leadership of the party and self-appointed himself as the secretary general of the party.
He started working in carshorts with the regime and started recalling members of CCC through dubious court cases that were engineered by Jacob Mudenda.
Tshabangu claimed he was protecting Chamisa from vultures around him, and he continues to assume executive powers, firing members at willy nilly, and now the party has been torn into different factions, the worst ever in Zimbabwean political history.
Internal squabbles started to show an ugly face amongst the opposition. The party became so contaminated with poison chalice, forcing Nelson Chamisa to quit.
Since his departure, which he called a sabbatical leave, has left the opposition in disarray, with all its members of parliament just hanging in there for benefits and allowances. The opposition has now become a pale shadow of its former self.
We now have disillusioned voters. The majority of voters have now lost faith in the opposition, including virgin voters who thought last year's elections were going to usher in a new administration.
The next elections are slated for 2028, and there is no hope that there will be any formidable and strong political party to contest. If it is to contest without reforms, that would be another walkover for the regime. Zimbabwe needs significant major reforms in order to ensure free and fair elections. A united and robust opposition is essential for democratic change. Unfortunately, we have an opposition that is suffering from kwashiokor.
Email: konileonard606@gmail.com
X- @Leokoni
Most people thought the Citizens Coalition of Change, which was led by Advocate Nelson Chamisa, was going to wrestle power from the unfashionable and undesirable Zanu PF leadership, which has brought the country to its knees.
The young and flamboyant leader was robbed of the election and saw his party being marooned and yoked like a cow being led to the slaughterhouse.
Most political analysts and commentators accused and blamed Nelson Chamisa of employing strategic ambiguity, which gave an opportunity to the regime to use Sengezo Tshabangu, who claimed the leadership of the party and self-appointed himself as the secretary general of the party.
He started working in carshorts with the regime and started recalling members of CCC through dubious court cases that were engineered by Jacob Mudenda.
Tshabangu claimed he was protecting Chamisa from vultures around him, and he continues to assume executive powers, firing members at willy nilly, and now the party has been torn into different factions, the worst ever in Zimbabwean political history.
Internal squabbles started to show an ugly face amongst the opposition. The party became so contaminated with poison chalice, forcing Nelson Chamisa to quit.
Since his departure, which he called a sabbatical leave, has left the opposition in disarray, with all its members of parliament just hanging in there for benefits and allowances. The opposition has now become a pale shadow of its former self.
We now have disillusioned voters. The majority of voters have now lost faith in the opposition, including virgin voters who thought last year's elections were going to usher in a new administration.
The next elections are slated for 2028, and there is no hope that there will be any formidable and strong political party to contest. If it is to contest without reforms, that would be another walkover for the regime. Zimbabwe needs significant major reforms in order to ensure free and fair elections. A united and robust opposition is essential for democratic change. Unfortunately, we have an opposition that is suffering from kwashiokor.
Email: konileonard606@gmail.com
X- @Leokoni
Source - Leonard Koni
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