I’m Not A Political Messiah, Says Chamisa

Opposition politician Nelson Chamisa has said he cannot single-handedly solve Zimbabwe’s many challenges, as he is not the Messiah.

In an interview with The Standard, Chamisa said the country would only achieve democratisation through collective consciousness, organisation and mobilisation by citizens. He said:

“People must not always look for a messiah. There is only Jesus Christ as our messiah.

“None but ourselves, the citizens, looking unto God, will find a solution to our problems.

“In the liberation struggle, people did not listen to one leader.

“It was a collective consciousness. Equally now, if we are to have democratisation and transformation.

“No individual can ever liberate a country. It is all of us through collective consciousness, organising and mobilisation.”

Chamisa also dismissed claims that he had been bribed by ZANU-PF to stay silent due to his supposedly ambiguous stance on the proposed constitutional amendments.

He pointed to what he described as state-backed attempts to undermine the opposition, including the loss of his party headquarters and control of opposition parliamentary seats. Said Chamisa:

“Do I have the political parties’ funds under the Finance Act? First, it was given to Thokozani Khupe and Douglas Mwonzora, now to Sengezo Tshabangu. Is that normal?

“The same applies to MPs, first they were given to Mwonzora, now Tshabangu.

“I had a party. First, it was given to others; now it has been given to another. Is that normal?

“I had votes, they were given to Mr Mnangagwa in 2018 and 2023. Is that normal?”

Chamisa argued that ZANU-PF’s push to amend the constitution to extend President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s tenure was proof that it feared losing at the polls.

While the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) declared Mnangagwa the winner in both the 2018 and 2023 presidential elections, Chamisa rejected the results, claiming they had been rigged.