Chamisa faces backlash

by Staff reporter



Former opposition leader Nelson Chamisa is facing mounting criticism after remarks attributed to him appeared to dismiss efforts by opposition activists and civic groups seeking to unite against attempts to extend President Emmerson Mnangagwa's term in office through Constitutional Amendment Bill No. 3 (CAB3).

According to comments published by the Daily News newspaper under the headline, "This engineered pact is hopeless," Chamisa reportedly described the proposed opposition coalition as an elite-driven initiative lacking legitimacy and unlikely to succeed.

The remarks were widely interpreted as targeting CCC Senator Jameson Timba and Professor Lovemore Madhuku of the National Constitutional Assembly, who are leading the Defend the Constitution Platform (DCP) and broader efforts to form a United Front Against CAB3.

The comments triggered immediate backlash from activists, journalists and opposition supporters, many accusing Chamisa of weakening resistance efforts at a crucial political moment.

Political activist Sandile Makeba criticised Chamisa on social media, accusing him of abandoning the opposition movement before attacking those attempting to organise against the proposed constitutional changes.

"Chamisa cannot spend years positioning himself as the face of democratic resistance, disappear at the most critical constitutional moment, then attack leaders trying to fill the leadership vacuum," Makeba wrote.

Investigative journalist Hopewell Chin'ono also questioned Chamisa's stance, arguing that Zimbabweans could not remain passive while CAB3 advances through Parliament.

"Does Nelson Chamisa want Zimbabweans to simply sit back and watch Constitutional Amendment No. 3 being pushed through without resistance?" Chin'ono asked on X.

He added that Chamisa had previously encouraged citizens to form their own movements and initiatives, making his criticism of emerging opposition efforts appear contradictory.

Chin'ono further warned that attacking organisers opposed to CAB3 risked creating perceptions that Chamisa was indirectly benefiting those seeking to weaken democratic resistance.

As criticism intensified online, Chamisa later posted a cryptic message on X stating:
"When leaders come, they must go. When leaders serve, they must leave. Unless they are dealers and crooks. True leaders know when to leave. Dealers and crooks never do."

Although he did not directly mention Mnangagwa or CAB3, many interpreted the statement as an indirect criticism of attempts to extend presidential term limits.

Meanwhile, commentary published by The NewsHawks argued that Zimbabwe's opposition politics had become increasingly fragmented following the collapse of the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC), weakening the opposition's ability to effectively challenge ZANU PF.

Pro-ZANU PF commentator Levison Chambati mocked the growing divisions, sarcastically thanking Chamisa for what he described as indirect support for CAB3.

"We are grateful for Nelson Chamisa's contribution to CAB3," Chambati wrote. "Even in silence, his message was loud and clear."

Another commentator, P Taruvinga, said the controversy reflected Zimbabwe's longstanding tendency to rely excessively on personalities rather than institutions.

"As a nation, we never learn. We once said Zimbabwe without Mugabe was impossible. Today, some want Mnangagwa till 2037. We did the same with Chamisa," he wrote.

CAB3 has generated widespread opposition from legal experts, churches, civic organisations and opposition parties. Critics argue the proposed amendments could weaken democratic safeguards, centralise executive power and undermine constitutional protections.

Among the reported proposals are extending Mnangagwa's final presidential term from 2028 to 2030, prolonging Parliament's term by two years and replacing direct presidential elections with a parliamentary selection system.

This week, Zimbabwe's Catholic bishops also warned that the proposed amendments could weaken institutional independence and erode constitutional safeguards against abuse of power.

The intensifying dispute over CAB3 comes amid growing concerns over the state of Zimbabwe's opposition politics and whether anti-government groups can unite around a common strategy ahead of future political contests.