The director of Public Witness and Diakonia at the World Council of Churches (WCC) and former secretary general of the Zimbabwe Council of Churches (ZCC), Reverend Kenneth Mtata has opposition Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) leader Nelson Chamisa for his exceptional achievements in the challenging political arena.
Posting on microblogging twitter, Rev. Mtata praised Chamisa’s creativity and acknowledged the uphill battle he faced, given the skewed nature of the political landscape against him.
“Nelson Chamisa (@nelsonchamisa) has not received fitting recognition for his recent achievements in a political playfield totally skewed against him. His creativity was outstanding with the support of others. Now that his numbers are higher than those of the party, Chamisa has one major outstanding task: Transforming his charisma into the institutional strength to ensure organisational sustainability. Otherwise, team members suffer frustration. And remember, charisma dissipates with. It is time to routinize.” said Rev. Mtata
Chamisa took over the reigns at the then Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) following the demise of founding president Morgan Tsvangirai on 14 February 2018.
He contested in the subsequent presidential elections came second against President Emmerson Mnangagwa and twenty-one others albeit in controversial circumstances.
In March 2020, his ascendency to power was declared null and void after a rival faction in the MDC approached the Supreme Court challenging the charismatic leader’s legitimacy.
The Court ordered that the party hold an election to replace him within three months opening an avenue for then deputy president Thokozani Khupe to lead the party until congress.
The ruling fueled deep division in the once prosperous opposition movement leading Chamisa to abandon the party and form the Citizens Coalition for Change in January 2022.
Reverend Mtata’s comments come in the wake of the recent harmonised elections in which President Emmerson Mnangagwa was declared winner with 52,7 percent with Chamisa getting 44 percent.
Like in 2018, Chamisa claims that the elections were rigged in favour of his rival.
