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MDC-Alliance leader Nelson Chamisa is fast consolidating his position as a political Pinocchio. At the weekend, he was involved in what appeared to be an incident of road rage, which led to a scuffle.

In his estimation, Chamisa thinks he is more equal than other road users, even though he is no more civilian than all of us and is bare of blue lights and other implements that would distinguish him.

How Chamisa thinks he can be any more important is rather strange. Yet, this could give us some vital window to look into the character of this man in politics. Chamisa assumed the leadership of the opposition in a controversial manner, as he fought tooth and nail to pip his rivals — Dr Thokozani Khupe and Engineer Elias Mudzuri — who were his seniors in the party and with better leadership pedigree.

Chamisa assumed the throne by violence, chicanery and sheer guile.

Dr Khupe distanced herself from Chamisa’s leadership, insisting that Chamisa did not have the legal standing as the president of the outfit outside due process.

The courts of law later affirmed this.

To give the devil his dues, he got the party presidency; albeit a victory of the Pyrrhic kind. The next race Chamisa set his sights on was national leadership that came with the general elections in July.

Indications are that Chamisa went into the elections with the same mentality that he approached the internal leadership question in the MDC.

It had to be him or no one else. He said things that would amount to criminality some of which has been taken note of by the authorities. He infamously called for anarchy when he figuratively said he would pour sand on the national food dish.

Further, he has refused to accept the results of July 30 insisting he won by a figure from his head, which no other institution, least of all our courts, has authenticated. But there seems to be a method to the madness.

The opposition leader wants to keep his base energised and he does this by any trick in the book. The current nationwide rallies that he is holding are meant to serve the dual purpose of consolidating his position as the Alliance president for the audience of inter-party and intra-party opponents.

On the former premise, it is clear that Chamisa is crying for attention.

He wants to negotiate a political settlement by way of these showcase rallies, which is quite strange because he has publicly thumped his nose at the idea of the creation of the office of leader of opposition by Government.

Chamisa wants more than what he deserves. On the latter premise, it is well known that Chamisa fears a rivalry that is lurking within the ranks. He is even delaying holding an elective congress that will decide the authentic leadership of the party.

Chamisa is not assured of a win, and he knows it. Many watchers of local politics know it, too. As such, Chamisa’s permanent state of political activism is well explained. Suffice to say, this electioneering without season is dangerous and should be nipped in the bud.