Opposition politician Nelson Chamisa faces renewed scrutiny over his ambiguous stance over the proposed constitutional amendments with critics that include his former allies accusing him of having been bribed by the ruling Zanu PF party to keep quiet.
Chamisa has been less vocal over plans to amend the constitution, and extend President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s rule and that of Parliament under the proposed amendments.
The amendments also seek to scrap direct presidential elections, among other sweeping changes which critics say is an attack on the constitutional order.
Chamisa last week stirred debate on social media after posting on X: “No to 2050.”
Some critics argued that by referring to 2050, he was deliberately avoiding directly opposing Zanu PFs controversial 2030 agenda, which seeks to extend Mnangagwa’s rule beyond his current constitutional term when it expires in 2028.
Among those criticising him was his former colleague Charlton Hwende, now Kuwadzana East legislator and former secretary-general of the MDC Alliance, who posted on X suggesting Chamisa had been “offered a drink” to ignore Zanu PF’s manoeuvres to extend Mnangagwa’s tenure.
In an interview with The Standard, Chamisa defended his wording, saying he deliberately refused to frame his message using the ruling party’s political language.
“I don’t want to be boxed in by the Zanu PF language. They invented 2030. I will not message myself around 2030,” Chamisa said.
“In fact, with my reference to 2050, I was lenient. I could have put 2099.
“It is a dramatic illustration of the sinister intention.
“They want to turn Zimbabwe into a ruin on account of this dangerous and disastrous amendment.”
Chamisa said the proposed constitutional changes represented a broader attempt to undermine democratic processes.
“It’s a blanket ban on elections and condemnation of democracy,” he said.
“It’s the hijacking of the nation.”
Some critics also accused Chamisa of failing to package his message clearly for supporters, but he rejected that argument.
“Those who follow me need not be a spokesperson. They know what I am saying and they appreciate the message,” he said.
“In fact they are the ones who send me to say that because they know this has disastrous consequences.”
Responding to Hwende’s claims that he had accepted bribes from Zanu PF, Chamisa said the allegation was absurd.
“Those things are said in circumstances of intoxication. Why should I waste my time on issues of drinks?” he said.
“For the record, I bear multiple scars for standing principled, focused and consistent.
“I am not in Parliament. I have not received a loan from Zanu PF. I don’t have a farm.
“I have nothing that I have received from anyone except persecution, ridicule, oppression and attempted assassination.”
Chamisa added that he had never privately engaged Mnangagwa since the latter assumed power in 2017.
“The only time we were at the same place was at the inaugurations in Botswana and Zambia and we didn’t even meet,” he said.
“Is that normal? We only meet on the ballot.
“Unless he can transfer those freebies by Bluetooth. But am I that stupid that I would go for a drink and not for a country?
“I don’t even drink so this analogy of drinks doesn't apply to me.”
Chamisa also pointed to what he described as state-backed efforts to weaken the opposition, including the loss of his party headquarters and control of opposition parliamentary seats.
“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?,” he said.
“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 the ruling party’s push to amend the constitution to extend Mnangagwa’s tenure was itself evidence that it feared electoral defeat.
“What other message do you want to understand except that they are confirming they have always lost elections and the one they are competing against has always won?”
Chamisa lost to Mnangagwa in the disputed 2018 and 2023 presidential elections, results he rejected, alleging widespread electoral fraud.
He said criticism directed at him ignored the fact that he was the victim of those disputed outcomes.
“You have two people here, one who has stolen and the one from whom everything has been stolen. You don’t stone the victim; you call the one who has stolen to restore the loot,” Chamisa said.
He added that political change in Zimbabwe would require collective action rather than reliance on a single leader.
“People must not always look for a messiah. There is only Jesus Christ as our messiah,” he said.,
“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.”