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Lawson Mabhena News & Politics Editor
Riding the wave of popular anger has not worked out for Nelson Chamisa as it did for the late Morgan Tsvangirai.

That is probably because Tsvangirai was popular first before surfing the great blue wave of popular anger that led to the Government of National Unity (GNU) that was formed on February 13, 2009.

Having Tsvangirai as Prime Minister, and Thokozani Khupe and Arthur Mutambara as Deputy Prime Ministers, was a major victory for the opposition.

This victory was indeed squandered as the July 31, 2013, election results proved, but that is a story for another day.

The point is that the opposition rides on popular anger, which is normal, but more is needed to win an election.

Chamisa is aware of this fact.

Having realised that President Mnangagwa and his Government are on the verge of taming the wave of popular anger well before the next elections in 2023, Chamisa wants to cheat Zanu PF into unleashing violence on “innocent civilians”.

This strategy almost worked for Chamisa when the violence his party instigated led to the death of six people and damage to property on August 1, 2018.

The reform agenda and efforts to re-engage Western nations suffered a temporary knock until President Mnangagwa acted fast by setting up an independent commission chaired by Kgalema Motlanthe, the former President of South Africa.

Following the implementation of recommendations of the Motlanthe Commission, having another unfortunate incident of violence — to be modest — would be bad press for Zanu PF. For Chamisa, this would be a political gold mine.

Recent reports that the European Union (EU) has removed top Government officials from its sanctions list and pledged to support economic and political reforms in Zimbabwe as the block moves towards a “more constructive EU-Zimbabwe relationship”, put Chamisa under further pressure.

What if EU and British sanctions against Zimbabwe are removed before 2023? What will happen to the wave of popular anger?

This explains why last Wednesday, Chamisa threatened to roll out violent protests. He desperately needs Zanu PF to mess up.

Just hours after Chamisa’s statement, suspected MDC youths staged an unsanctioned demonstration in Harare, probably as a warm up to the real violence.

According to one privately-owned newspaper, Chamisa, who visited party provincial structures early this month, “told journalists in Harare that the general sentiment was that people were angry and ready to confront Mnangagwa on the streets over his handling of the economy, alleged incompetence, arrogance and ignorance in the face of a humanitarian and political crisis.”

“The people are even saying Zanu PF is deaf and dumb, so don’t waste time trying to engage with them in dialogue. We are giving peace a chance, but the people are asking, ‘but what peace’? There is no peace, so you will see more protests,” he said.

“Whenever there is oppression, the demand for freedom becomes natural. The Constitution gives us the power. Ultimately, the people have the right to protest and all we have to do is to provide the oxygen and that oxygen will be provided.”

Any level-headed person knows that Chamisa is fully aware that he cannot remove a legitimately elected Government, whose leader’s victory was even confirmed by the Constitutional Court (Concourt), through flash demonstrations in city and town centres.

It’s a trap!

He wants sanctions to remain and then ride on the wave of disgruntlement. He also wants the Sadc bloc and the African Union (AU) to turn against the Zimbabwean Government.

Prior to the 2018 elections, Chamisa threatened that he would make Zimbabwe ungovernable if he did not win.

No man confident of victory will threaten violence in the event of defeat. Chamisa has never wanted elections. His statement last week is even more telling.

“They will arrest and kill some of us, but no gun is more powerful than a conscious mind. Some people are saying why don’t you focus on 2023? That is foolishness. Foolishness is doing the same thing with no results. There has to be a radical approach, a disruptive approach,” he said.

Chamisa’s threats must not be taken lightly. He is as serious as a heart attack. He wants blood.

Elections as he has said, are foolish. He knows he cannot win if President Mnangagwa continues with his sweeping economic and political reforms.

So much for a democratic movement.