Is Chamisa Zim's messiah

Nelson Chamisa addressing a rally  (Credit-Bulawayo24)

I have contemplated writing about the sudden rise of Nelson Chamisa in Zimbabwe's political opposition space. The main reasons why i have pondered on this issue has mainly been because of the controversy that dawned upon his rise to the MDC Alliance leadership. When i created this blog i hoped to address the political challenges that dawn upon Zimbabwe's largely young generation of which i consider myself a part of, it is this generation that comprises most of the voters in the forthcoming election. The emergence of Nelson Chamisa at age 40 as a presidential candidate and numerous other political aspirants whom are quite young running for office is generally plausible but also raises numerous other questions. Among the constant question i have asked myself is whether Nelson Chamisa is Zimbabwe's messiah, will he take us to that Promised Land that most of my generation have been deprived off over the years. Probably the answer to that lies in the Zimbabwean voters.

A former student leader and MP for Kuwadzana, Chamisa is definitely an orator who has managed to draw huge crowds at his rallies. Yet, just like the late Morgan Tsvangirai he too drew large crowds wherever he went, but yet again managed to lose in most of the elections that he contested, with allegations of election rigging and widespread intimidation. Critics of Chamisa have questioned his rise to the MDC Alliance leadership at the expense of Thokozani Khupe. Although Chamisa is regarded as a populist which is clearly true by the numbers that attend his rallies, I continue to question his respect for the democratic process. Coming from a party called the Movement for Democratic Change, the rise of Chamisa to his current position did not signify any democratic movement. Instead it was marred by violent incidents at Morgan Tsvangirai's funeral in which the so called MDC Vanguard instigated violent actions towards Khupe and other party leaders. Not only did that incident show the lack of respect over what the late party leader stood and fought against over the years, but it marked the rise of Chamisa. His ascendancy is questionable in terms of the MDC-T constitution and has led to another split of the movement.

During Tsvangirai's reign numerous splits occurred within the rank and file of the MDC -T, Chamisa has not been spared of these splits either, as Khupe has indicated her intention to contest the elections under the MDC-T banner. With hardly six months at the helm Chamisa has failed to unify the fractured opposition resulting in another split. I then wonder how many splits the opposition will face with Chamisa at the helm of the party. I have been fascinated the most by Chamisa’s rhetoric on his campaign trail. He has dared Zimbabweans to "dream". From bullet trains to rural airports, Chamisa's campaign has focused on the people's emotions allowing the electorate to dream of a better prosperous country. On whether most Zimbabweans will buy onto that and respond to vote in his favour remains to be seen on Election Day. Yet, to some of us it’s just another high sounding election gimmick, void of proper policy to oppose and criticise since the demise of Mugabe after that epic November coup. The new dispensation has said "Zimbabwe is open for business" and is doing all it can to attract foreign investors. This new mantra by the current regime has been a campaign slogan for the opposition over the years and can no longer be used, so what better option than to tell the people of emotive talk that rather sounds like pub talk.

As the elections draw close, i will not be surprised to hear of Chamisa's fables and dreams in every town or city that would welcome the opposition leader. I am yet to be convinced that Chamisa will deliver Zimbabwe to the Promised Land largely because of his ascendancy to power and the comic show that has become a part of his rallies. Zimbabwe may not be ready for a young leader and Chamisa seems to be just too much of a dreamer to be a messiah for the masses. Although like any other human we are all not perfect, Nelson Chamisa may have his flows, but his popularity may see the Southern African nation ushering in a young popular leader into office, allow me to also "dream" about such an occasion. Signing out GenerationX18