Chamisa Is the Biggest Blockage to Change in Zimbabwe

By Desmond Nleya
This might not sit well with many, but the truth must be said: as things stand today, Nelson Chamisa is the biggest obstacle to real change in Zimbabwe.
Chamisa is without doubt the most popular opposition politician after the late Morgan Tsvangirai. He rose to prominence with immense energy, charisma, and hope. Thrice he has led Zimbabwe’s biggest opposition formations — and thrice those parties collapsed under his leadership. The latest was the CCC, which he dramatically abandoned under the guise of a “sabbatical break.”
He has consistently drawn over two million votes in every election, proof of his huge following. These loyal supporters look up to him for direction, and because Zimbabwean politics is less about policies and more about personalities and brands, his name alone dominates the opposition space.
Just as ZANU-PF thrives on its brand rather than individuals, Chamisa has become a brand in himself. Many opposition MPs and councillors only won elections because they campaigned under his name.
So how is he the problem?
Chamisa knows his brand is strong. He knows that no opposition figure can rise without his blessing. But instead of leading from the front, he retreats into silence and half-hearted statements, effectively holding the keys to change while refusing to unlock the door. If he truly fought for the people, he would not afford to come in and out of politics at will. Nelson Mandela endured 27 years in prison for his people, Chamisa, by contrast, can conveniently disappear while Zimbabweans remain under oppression.
What is the problem with that?
By staying in the picture without committing to real leadership, Chamisa blocks new leaders from emerging. As long as he hints at a “comeback,” no one else will be taken seriously by his supporters. Even promising young leaders like Ostallos Siziba are overshadowed because the loyal base still waits for their “president.” Until Chamisa clearly says, “I have retired from politics,” Zimbabwe’s opposition will remain stuck.
Bobi Wine of Uganda is facing almost the same challenges as Chamisa, yet he has never taken a sabbatical break. A break is something that can only be taken by someone who can afford to, and fortunately for Chamisa, he can — because he built his political brand on the foundation he inherited from Morgan Tsvangirai. To claim that he created that name entirely on his own is a weak and laughable excuse.
Still how is he the problem?
He had never come out in support of those standing for change and even dismissed Geza’s movement by asking, “What is Geza’s revolution all about?” That alone shows that any revolution without him is no revolution at all. Instead of uplifting other voices for change, he undermines them.
Painfully the man is saying nothing about the economic bleeding caused by cartels and “zvigandaanda.” He has influence but chooses silence — benefiting from the status quo while pretending to fight it.
Supporting politics is more like supporting a football club. Fans don’t abandon their team easily because of poor results. Arsenal fans have stood by their club through years of failure because at least the club keeps trying. But when the Zimbabwe Saints football club was relegated and stopped competing, its supporters found new homes elsewhere. That is what needs to happen with Chamisa’s supporters: either he leads decisively on the pitch, or announce that he is no longer available like Zimbabwe Saints so that fans move on to other teams.
So what should he do?
Return actively and lead his desperate supporters with clarity and courage or retire publicly so that the opposition can regroup around a new leader.
If he fails to do either, Zimbabweans will be stuck in the same cycle: 2028 arrives, Chamisa contests, ZANU-PF wins, Chamisa cries foul, then he retreats on another sabbatical. The cycle repeats while the system tightens its grip.
In the end, Chamisa holds the keys to the future of the opposition. The real question is: will he pass those keys on, or will he die with them in his pocket while cartels and dynasties continue to feast?
For now, he is the biggest blockage to change in Zimbabwe.