{"id":1758,"date":"2026-01-26T06:37:19","date_gmt":"2026-01-26T06:37:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/matabeletoday.com\/?p=1758"},"modified":"2026-01-26T06:37:21","modified_gmt":"2026-01-26T06:37:21","slug":"scepticism-over-chamisas-return-to-active-politics","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/matabeletoday.com\/?p=1758","title":{"rendered":"Scepticism over Chamisa’s return to active politics"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

HARARE<\/strong> – THERE are mixed feelings, mostly scepticism, following the return to formal politics by Zimbabwe opposition leader, Nelson Chamisa.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most are sceptical of the nearly-man of local politics, because of the manner he left the political landscape, when in January 2024 he dumped the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then, he cited infiltration by the ruling Zimbabwe African National Union Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF) party and the hijacking of the opposition party by state institutions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

His departure left the CCC in turmoil, with factions battling for control and funding.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Exactly two years later, Chamisa (47) has announced his comeback.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

His return centres on the launch of an initiative dubbed \u201cAgenda 2026,\u201d which he describes as a broad-based citizens\u2019 movement rather than a traditional political party.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chamisa argues that traditional political parties are disposed to infiltration and division, while a movement like the liberation struggle can better unite the nation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cZimbabwe needs a fresh start,\u201d Chamisa said in Harare at the launch of his new movement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat happened before must never be repeated. Zimbabwe needs a new way. This new way is born out of long-term reflection on a critical truth: the challenge of our politics is that the alternative has too often been built on a rotten, compromised, exhausted, and sterile past.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chamisa said the Agenda 2026 was about \u201ca clean break from the mistakes and missteps of the past.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt is a commitment to reimagine Zimbabwe and to rebuild our nation on democratic values, constitutionalism, competence and compassion.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chamisa described his new movement as \u201ca new national consensus by the citizens, with the citizens and for the citizens.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cZimbabwe needs a unity of action, direction and destiny,\u201d the politician added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A trained lawyer and theologian, Chamisa joined the then main opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), of Morgan Tsvangirai (now late) at its formation in 1999.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He served as the Minister of Information, Communication and Technology (ICT) as part of the national unity government that governed Zimbabwe from 2009 to 2013.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 2018, after the death of ex-Prime Minister Tsvangirai, Chamisa assumed leadership of the MDC, sparking a split within the opposition party, which eventually cost it the 2018 elections.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now running under the ticket of the CCC, he lost again in 2023, against current president, Emmerson Mnangagwa, of ZANU-PF.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was apparent fatigue had gripped the opposition, despite repeated allegations by the party that elections were rigged.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He left CCC in early 2024, hence his return has been met with scepticism.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cFirst apologise to those who backed you, the betrayal they endured and take accountability,\u201d Fine Bantu responded to Chamisa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rachel Rusenza described Chamisa as a man of \u201call talk and no action.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe have lost faith in you to be honest. Last time you left us hanging, no explanation, nothing,\u201d she responded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

David Mokoena opined, \u201cHis immediate challenge will be to prove that taking a break really helped him but should not entirely make it about himself. He has a constituency that desperately needs his leadership ability.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Exiled former cabinet minister, Jonathan Moyo, believes Chamisa\u2019s new movement would be infiltrated again and he wonders if the opposition politician will dump it again in that event.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOtherwise, a party that is launched by an individual and which masquerades as a movement is the easiest thing to infiltrate and overrun. Will Chamisa run away, again, if that happens as it sure would?\u201d Moyo quipped.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ZANU-PF Patriots, aligned to the ruling party, ridiculed Chamisa\u2019s return.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It described him as a punching bag, owing to his losses to ZANU-PF in previous elections.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe are happy that Chamisa is back. We had no opposition and we were relaxing and started fighting amongst ourselves,\u201d ZANU-PF Patriots stated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ZANU-PF is factionalised between groups supporting Mnangagwa and his first deputy, Constantino Chiwenga.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Despite its in-house problems, the former liberation movement has prevailed over the opposition since independence in 1980.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The next polls are scheduled for 2028, but a faction of ZANU-PF wants Mnangagwa\u2019s term extended to at least 2030.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2013 CAJ News<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

HARARE – THERE are mixed feelings, mostly scepticism, following the return to formal politics by Zimbabwe opposition leader, Nelson Chamisa. Most are sceptical of the nearly-man of local politics, because of the manner he left the political landscape, when in January 2024 he dumped the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC). Then, he cited infiltration by […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1759,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5,45,3,12,41],"tags":[334],"class_list":["post-1758","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-featured","category-national","category-news","category-politics","category-politics-news","tag-citizens-coalition-for-change-ccc-leader-nelson-chamisa"],"magazineBlocksPostFeaturedMedia":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/matabeletoday.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Nelson-Chamisa-1-150x150.jpg","medium":"https:\/\/matabeletoday.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Nelson-Chamisa-1-300x187.jpg","medium_large":"https:\/\/matabeletoday.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Nelson-Chamisa-1.jpg","large":"https:\/\/matabeletoday.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Nelson-Chamisa-1.jpg","1536x1536":"https:\/\/matabeletoday.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Nelson-Chamisa-1.jpg","2048x2048":"https:\/\/matabeletoday.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Nelson-Chamisa-1.jpg","post-thumbnail":"https:\/\/matabeletoday.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Nelson-Chamisa-1.jpg"},"magazineBlocksPostAuthor":{"name":"administrator","avatar":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/a3d5ebfe727f13fb325bd400aaaf5e789d3e2e20898883d9ae8e3d3d42d58cef?s=96&d=mm&r=g"},"magazineBlocksPostCommentsNumber":"0","magazineBlocksPostExcerpt":"HARARE – THERE are mixed feelings, mostly scepticism, following the return to formal politics by Zimbabwe opposition leader, Nelson Chamisa. Most are sceptical of the nearly-man of local politics, because of the manner he left the political landscape, when in January 2024 he dumped the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC). Then, he cited infiltration by […]","magazineBlocksPostCategories":["Featured","National","News","Politics","Politics"],"magazineBlocksPostViewCount":89,"magazineBlocksPostReadTime":4,"magazine_blocks_featured_image_url":{"full":["https:\/\/matabeletoday.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Nelson-Chamisa-1.jpg",760,474,false],"medium":["https:\/\/matabeletoday.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Nelson-Chamisa-1-300x187.jpg",300,187,true],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/matabeletoday.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Nelson-Chamisa-1-150x150.jpg",150,150,true]},"magazine_blocks_author":{"display_name":"administrator","author_link":"https:\/\/matabeletoday.com\/?author=2"},"magazine_blocks_comment":0,"magazine_blocks_author_image":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/a3d5ebfe727f13fb325bd400aaaf5e789d3e2e20898883d9ae8e3d3d42d58cef?s=96&d=mm&r=g","magazine_blocks_category":"Featured<\/a> National<\/a> News<\/a> Politics<\/a> Politics<\/a>","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/matabeletoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1758","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/matabeletoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/matabeletoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/matabeletoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/matabeletoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1758"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/matabeletoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1758\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1760,"href":"https:\/\/matabeletoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1758\/revisions\/1760"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/matabeletoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/1759"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/matabeletoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1758"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/matabeletoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1758"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/matabeletoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1758"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}