Nelson Chamisa, Zimbabwe’s most prominent opposition figure, on Monday rejected calls for his supporters to join a planned mass demonstration against the government, invoking the “big lesson” of the 2017 ouster of Robert Mugabe as a cautionary tale.
The move positions Mr. Chamisa, a former opposition leader who continues to command a large following, as a cautious actor, distancing himself from a potentially volatile street protest that appears linked to infighting within the ruling ZANU-PF party. It underscores a strategic divide among government critics on how best to challenge President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s administration.
The exchange took place on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, after Mr. Chamisa posted a statement arguing that the country's problems stem from a "disputed mandate" following the 2023 elections. In his post, he dismissed issues like corruption and suffering as "symptoms" and insisted that the only true path forward was to address the "2023 stolen election".
In response, a user urged Mr. Chamisa to “call your followers to participate in the March,” posting a flyer for a “One Million Man March Against State Capture and corruption” scheduled for Friday, Oct. 17, in Robert Mugabe Square.
Mr. Chamisa’s cryptic but firm reply was, “2017 taught us a big lesson!”.
The year 2017 is a significant reference in Zimbabwe, marking the military-assisted transition that removed Mr. Mugabe after nearly four decades in power. While the event was met with widespread public celebration, it ultimately consolidated the power of the ZANU-PF party under Mr. Mnangagwa, a disillusioning outcome for many who had hoped for a broader democratic opening. Mr. Chamisa's comment is widely interpreted as a warning against participating in events that could be co-opted by factions within the ruling party rather than leading to genuine democratic change.
The planned Oct. 17 march has been promoted by activists viewed as being aligned with Vice President Constantino Chiwenga, Mr. Mnangagwa’s chief rival. The call to protest has already been labeled as "treasonous" by other political figures, highlighting the deep and volatile divisions within the state.
By refusing to endorse the march, Mr. Chamisa is signalling a strategy focused on electoral legitimacy rather than street action, choosing to remain disengaged from the ruling party's explosive internal power struggles. - Zimbo LIVE London
