Mpofu: Chamisa Critics Have Become Too Preoccupied With Him
Prominent lawyer and Advocate Thabani Mpofu has criticised sections of Zimbabwe’s opposition movement and media for becoming overly preoccupied with former opposition leader Nelson Chamisa, saying their political thinking is increasingly centred on proving him wrong.
Mpofu, who represented Chamisa and the MDC Alliance in the 2018 Constitutional Court challenge against President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s election victory, said there was nothing wrong with concluding that Chamisa had failed politically.
However, he argued that the problem arises when discrediting Chamisa becomes the central focus of people who claim to be genuinely committed to removing ZANU PF from power.
According to Mpofu, some opposition activists, political commentators and journalists spend excessive amounts of time trying to demonstrate that Chamisa is wrong, that they are politically superior to him, or that the opposition struggle failed because of his leadership.
He said this approach risks shifting attention away from the broader objective of achieving political change in Zimbabwe.
Mpofu’s argument is not directed solely at ZANU PF supporters who attack Chamisa. He also includes people who genuinely oppose the ruling party and want democratic change, arguing that some of them have nevertheless allowed Chamisa to dominate their political thinking.
The lawyer said critics who believe Chamisa has failed should instead develop their own political programmes and strategies and demonstrate to Zimbabweans that they can provide a better alternative.
Rather than constantly asking how to prove Chamisa wrong, Mpofu believes the opposition should be asking what needs to be done to move the democratic struggle forward.
He argued that the constant reaction to Chamisa’s statements, decisions and political activities effectively places him at the centre of the political agenda of his critics.
“Every discussion comes back to Chamisa,” is the essence of Mpofu’s criticism, with opponents feeling compelled to respond to almost every move he makes, even when it does not directly concern them.
Mpofu described this phenomenon as Chamisa living “rent-free” in the minds of his critics.
The phrase suggests that while these individuals may genuinely oppose ZANU PF, their continued focus on Chamisa means they are allowing him to influence what they discuss, what they react to and, ultimately, how they organise politically.
According to Mpofu, those who believe Chamisa has failed need to move beyond him instead of defining their politics around him.
He argues that the real test is whether they can develop their own ideas, political strategies and programmes capable of convincing Zimbabweans that they offer a better path to democratic change.
Until that happens, Mpofu believes some of Chamisa’s most vocal critics risk remaining trapped in his political shadow, even as they seek to present themselves as alternatives to both him and ZANU PF.
