Nelson Chamisa, the two-time losing presidential candidate in the 2018 and 2023 elections, has once again hinted at a political comeback after retreating to obscurity following his failed attempt to establish the Blue Movement.
Chamisa, who dramatically quit the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC), took to X to declare, “I’M EXCITED…for the new to [be] born or kick in, the past must pass away and die! Now it’s happening.” This cryptic message has sparked enthusiastic responses from his loyal inner circle, including Brighton Mutebuka and Gift Ostallos Siziba, reigniting discussions about his political ambitions.
Chamisa’s attempts at reinvention have become a hallmark of his political career, but none have yielded success. His record is marred by repeated failures, beginning with his crushing defeat to Douglas Mwonzora for the Secretary General’s position during Morgan Tsvangirai’s leadership. Rescued by Tsvangirai, Chamisa was appointed organizing secretary but led the party to a resounding defeat in the 2013 elections.
Later, he was elevated to Deputy President of the MDC Alliance and seized leadership following Tsvangirai’s passing, yet still failed to unseat ZANU PF in 2018.
In 2023, Chamisa rebranded the MDC Alliance into the CCC, which met the same fate at the polls. His subsequent attempt to establish the Blue Movement was a dismal failure, collapsing almost as soon as it began. These repeated attempts at political reinvention only underscore Chamisa’s consistent inability to deliver results. His latest promise of a “new” formation is widely viewed as yet another rebranding of the same failed strategies, with little hope of success.
Critics argue that Chamisa’s approach exemplifies the definition of futility—doing the same thing repeatedly while expecting different outcomes. This so-called “new” initiative is merely old wine in a new bottle, destined to follow the trajectory of his previous ventures, whether branded as MDC, MDC-T, MDC Alliance, CCC, or the ill-fated Blue Movement.
The broader opposition in Zimbabwe remains in disarray, unable to mount a credible challenge against the Revolutionary Party, ZANU PF. Rooted in the blood and sacrifices of liberation war heroes, ZANU PF continues to dominate Zimbabwe’s political landscape with unmatched organization and resilience. In contrast, Chamisa’s repeated failures and his party’s lack of direction underscore the growing irrelevance of opposition politics in Zimbabwe.
As history has shown, puppetry and foreign-aligned political formations stand no chance against liberation-rooted parties in Zimbabwe and the region at large.
