Chamisa turns focus to 2023 as 2018 fights draw blanks




Chamisa and Mnangagwa
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WITH his fight to reverse or atleast delegitimise President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s controversial July 30 election victory ever becoming a lost cause, opposition MDC leader Nelson Chamisa looks to have given up the mission and now seems to be setting his sights on the 2023 polls.

Chamisa narrowly lost to Zanu PF’s Mnangagwa after amassing a decent 44.3% of the national vote against the latter’s 50.8%.

A Constitutional Court challenge of the election outcome by the opposition leader was thrown out but this did not break his spirit to try and discredit Mnangagwa for alleged poll robbery.

Now seemingly a lost cause after breaking sweat for five good months, it has emerged, Chamisa will establish a team of experts to undertake a post-mortem of the election.

The team will also review the party’s performance with a view to finding ways on how to improve the main opposition party’s performance in elections due in 2023.

The decision to establish the committee was reached after a recent national council meeting in Harare.

“In respect of the party’s parliamentary campaign in the 2018 election, the party resolved to set an inquiry to review candidate selection and make recommendations for future elections,” the resolutions read in part.

MDC sources said internally, there is resignation that 2018 is done and dusted as Zanu PF will keep power until the next general elections.

“We have always known even before the decision by the Constitutional Court it was clear this election was gone,” said the source.

“We were just going through the motions and trying to make our handlers happy.

“The other thing is we have an egoistic president who is too eager to show he is fighting Zanu PF at every turn.

“We have a lot of introspection to do. Part of the loss can be blamed on our lack of organisational capacity. The double candidates we fielded had nothing to do with the ZEC (Zimbabwe Electoral Commission).”

Party spokesperson Jacob Mafume, while confirming that the focus had now switched to 2023, said the fight to “restore Zimbabwe’s legitimacy” will continue.

“Every party undertakes a review of its processes and performance after an election. We would be foolish not to because there is always room for improvement but this does not translate into a capitulation and recognition or the junta,” he said.

Mafume said Chamisa’s recent meeting with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa was an indication the fight was on.

“These diplomatic meetings at home and abroad are part of our efforts besides the internal moves to refine our strategies. Of course 2023 is coming and we would not want to make the same mistakes,” said Mafume. – Newzim