Former Bulawayo Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) senator Felix Magalela Sibanda has expressed doubt that his former leader Nelson Chamisa’s return is genuine, accusing the charismatic leader of abandoning his flock at a critical moment when they needed him most.
Sibanda’s remarks followed Chamisa’s announcement last week that he is making a political comeback, ending a sabbatical that began in January 2024 when he abruptly left the CCC party he helped form in 2022.
Chamisa cited “infiltration” by the ruling Zanu PF as his reason for departing.
His exit came after the emergence of a suspected Zanu PF proxy, Sengezo Tshabangu, who proclaimed himself the party’s secretary-general and began recalling elected opposition representatives just months after the 2023 elections.
Chamisa stated that he would not “swim in a river with hungry crocodiles,” referring to CCC members he accused of being sell-outs working for the ruling party.
Last Friday, Chamisa unveiled his “Agenda 2026” political plan, described as a movement to unseat President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government.
He said the new movement would focus on building a national consensus, reclaiming citizen agency and leadership, preparing for a future citizens’ government, driving a “moral revolution,” and re-engaging the international community.
However, Sibanda voiced scepticism about Agenda 2026.
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“I am sorry that I have lost interest in reading rhetorical material from Nelson Chamisa,” Sibanda said.
“What a disappointment to hear that from his former right-hand man, having served for a considerable time as one of his prolific spokespersons.
“I doubt his intentions because he abandoned his flock in the middle of the sea without warning his compatriots. I give him a 15% rating on coming back.”
Sibanda said while Chamisa was intelligent and precise in his oration, he now appeared clumsy in returning without an executive or a committee.
“It would appear it’s a one-man, one-band show, which is undemocratic and is going to be disastrous for many.
“Yes, he might be popular because of God-given charisma, but what he should know is that charisma evaporates,” Sibanda said.
“As long as we abuse people’s trust, people end up vomiting your good name and deeds.
“Mind you, politics has no formula. What is important to politicians and people are interests.
“In this case, it doesn’t explain what he is going to do to help Zimbabweans. It’s oration without foundation.”
He added that it would have been better if Chamisa had summoned his former compatriots, particularly those recalled by Tshabangu and his surrogates.
“He is not even mentioning Mnangagwa by name as the source of all problems in Zimbabwe,” he noted.
“He is speaking in tongues as if Mnangagwa is untouchable.
“ If Mnangagwa and his junta are untouchable this time, what will be the status of violence towards the elections?”
“We believe democracy is not just rhetoric. Democracy requires one to be pragmatic, magnanimous, and to understand why Zimbabweans are in this quagmire.”
He attributed Zimbabweans’ suffering to cultural and political factors, as well as “deliberate pretenders” who emerge during elections only to make U-turns without tangible plans.
“I worked personally with Chamisa for more than two decades, while he was still a junior representing the youth movement and in trade unions,” he said.
Sibanda warned that if Chamisa does not recognise that Welshman Ncube, Tendai Biti, Douglas Mwonzora, Obert Gutu, Job Sikhala, Thokozani Khupe, and other recycled leaders were not a spent force, his agenda will not work.
“If he had advised us—and of course he doesn’t, because by his nature I know him, he is everything—he should be in a position to refocus with members of other youthful organisations,” he said.
“I, for one, recycled as I am, have retired from active politics. But I’m not completely out of politics.
“I’m ready to give advice, ready to be a political consultant here and there. But a man of Chamisa’s character does not need any advisor; he uses his charisma, yet charisma evaporates when one does not maintain trust.
“Trust is very important. You cannot decide on your own to dump people in the middle of the sea. You bring the problem to the people so that we tackle it together. It appears that Chamisa is suppressing action from the youth, who of course think that speaking against him is tantamount to treason—no, no, no.”
