MDC Alliance leader Nelson Chamisa Tuesday declared that he is ready to assume power and steer Zimbabwe on a recovery path despite critics questioning his maturity to lead.
Chamisa assumed the opposition’s top post in 2018 following the death of the founding leader Morgan Tsvangirai.
Despite the tussles within the MDC Alliance movement, Chamisa was the favourite to win the 2018 elections but was defeated by President Emmerson Mnangagwa in a tightly contested poll which to this day, the opposition leader believes was rigged against him.
He has often faced criticism from both the ruling and some of the party supporters who allege he is not mature enough to rule judging by some of his speeches and antics.
However, posting on his Twitter, Chamisa declared that the time has come for him and his generation to take over from the Zanu-PF regime which has been in power since 1980.
“Why do some people think that our generation is not ready? We’re ready! And it’s now our turn!” Chamisa said.
He further stated that most of the people who formed the first cabinet and help powerful posts after independence were younger than he is now.
“We are ready…In 1980, (Robert) Mugabe was 56, (Canaan) Banana 44, Mnangagwa 37, Rex (Nhongo, Solomon Mujuru) 31, Josiah Tongo(gara) would’ve been 42, Joice (Mujuru) 25, (Vitalis) Zvinavashe 36, Oppah (Muchinguri) 22 and Sekuru Constantino Chiwenga 23. They were ready to serve and so are we,” Chamisa noted.
Chamisa faces uncertainty over the party’s future as he is entangled in a tug of war with the Douglas Mwonzora led faction of the MDC-T party with the latter alleging that his outfit should be using the MDC Alliance name.
Chamisa has in the past hinted that he would form a new political party after the courts ruled against him in his bid to reclaim the MDC name.
He further pushed the blame on Zanu-PF, as has become the norm, for his party’s failure to provide service delivery to communities.
“Zanu PF and the central government make local government impossible and ungovernable. It’s structural, legislative and must be fixed with urgency,” he lashed.
