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Even die-hard supporters of Chamisa must start asking: whose interests does he really represent?

When the National Patriotic Front, formed with the blessing of former President Robert Mugabe, split some of those allegedly fired said Eunice Sandi Moyo and Jealousy Mawarire wanted to push in former First Lady Grace Mugabe to become Movement for Democratic Change Alliance leader Nelson Chamisa’s deputy if he wins the elections.

Sarah Mahoka, another NPF member in the Sandi-Moyo camp, confirmed this on the Voice of America.

People, especially his supporters, said the media was just decampaigning Chamisa.

Chamisa himself has said his main rival Emmerson Mnangagwa of the Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front has launched a “fake news” campaign against him.

He said Mnangagwa had even hired foreigners “to concoct, manufacture, engineer and produce fictitious and fallacious videos, news stories and then send them out to you, send them out to the world, to confuse the voters”.

But today, three key people from former President Robert Mugabe’s camp, including Mugabe himself, came out in full support of Chamisa.

Mugabe told the world that he is voting for Chamisa and not his tormentors. This is quite understandable following his humiliation but he too was dumping his own man Ambrose Mutinhiri who is one of the 23 presidential candidates.

One of his top lieutenants Jonathan Moyo has been behind Chamisa since the NPF split but has upped his campaign over the last few days.

“MTHWAKAZI OMUHLE freedom is coming tomorrow. Vote for #NelsonChamisa for Independence to also come to Matabeleland, 38 years after it came to Zimbabwe!,” he tweeted today.

Mugabe’s nephew Patrick Zhuwao called on Mnangagwa’s deputy Constantino Chiwenga and the defence forces to vote Chamisa to save themselves.

“President-Designate Chamisa will effect President Mugabe’s offer to ‘undo the disgrace’ of the coup and save you. So, General Chiwenga, as you enter the polling booth, you know in your heart of hearts that your salvation lies in President-Designate Chamisa and President Mugabe,” Zhuwao said.

Chamisa is no doubt very popular but his supporters must ask: Does he really need Mugabe’s endorsement?

Does he need the endorsement of Jonathan Moyo, Patrick Zhuwao, Sarah Mahoka or Jealousy Mawarire?

Yes, as a candidate Chamisa must get votes from anyone if this will make him win. The question is: What is in it for these former ZANU-PF strongmen. Surely, it can’t be just their wish to get rid of Mnangagwa?

What is so critical that Chamisa can dump one of the seven partners in the Alliance Jacob Ngarivhume when Tsvangirai and the partners had agreed on seats to be allocated to each partner?

What is so important that Chamisa can dump an MDC cadre to give room to an NPF upstart who is known to be a close buddy of Grace Mugabe?

What is in it for Chamisa to dump MDC stalwarts like Jessie Majome and James Maridadi?

One is bound to ask: Could the whispers that have been doing the rounds for years that Chamisa is Mugabe’s man tasked with keeping an eye on Tsvangirai be true?

Why did he rush to grab the presidency of the MDC before Tsvangirai’s body had even got cold?

As comedian Eddie Griffin says: “Think. It ain’t illegal yet”.

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This post was last modified on July 29, 2018 3:56 pm

Charles Rukuni

The Insider is a political and business bulletin about Zimbabwe, edited by Charles Rukuni. Founded in 1990, it was a printed 12-page subscription only newsletter until 2003 when Zimbabwe's hyper-inflation made it impossible to continue printing.

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