Exiled Zimbabwean politician Jonathan Moyo has questioned the campaign for presidency in 2023 by new opposition leader Robert Chapman, asking if it is a solo or party effort.
In a tweet, Moyo stated: “Politics is associational. It’s not clear if yours is a solo or a party bid for the presidency in 2023 but to win it, one needs a TEAM working through a PARTY with live structures on the ground.”
Chapman, the leader of the Democratic Union of Zimbabwe, has positioned himself as a third force, stating that the ruling Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front and the opposition Movement for Democratic Change have both failed the nation. Chapman is running on a platform of prosperity, justice, and modernisation. Moyo, however, cautioned that in Zimbabwe, the message of prosperity may not resonate as strongly as the need for survival.
Chapman also criticized current opposition parties as fake, arguing that one way to rig an election is to have a fake opposition. In a series of tweets, Chapman listed a series of issues he believes the country has faced over the past four years, including a lack of reforms, a split opposition and parliamentary groups, separatist egoism, widespread looting, and the acquisition of new homes and cars.
He stated that corruption is a pervasive problem that affects everything, and called for real change and principles. Chapman advised voters to carefully consider the party or candidate’s guiding principles, such as their constitution, ideology, leadership ability, experience, and roadmap before making a decision.
There are over 100 political parties in Zimbabwe, but it is not yet clear how many will participate in the upcoming elections. In the 2018 elections, more than 50 parties participated with 23 candidates, four of whom were women, running for president.
