Opposition Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) leader Nelson Chamisa has branded his rival President Emmerson Mnangagwa as his “big campaign manager” following a string of Zanu-PF church songs mocking the young leader.
On Thursday, Mnangagwa addressed an Apostolic Church rally in Mashonaland Central.
In a not so shocking move, congregants started singing political songs during church service mocking Chamisa and his supporters.
Mnangagwa and his entourage of security, government ministers and cronies like alleged gold smuggler Henrietta Rushwaya were also donning church gowns.
On Thursday Chamisa was in Gokwe where his convoy was attacked together with journalists by suspected Zanu-PF thugs.
The opposition leader addressed journalists in Harare on Friday giving them an update of his tour of Gokwe. He rebuked Mnangagwa for “poisoning holy places”, in “blasphemous” ways by leading “partisan politics” in churches.
He, however, thanked Mnangagwa for publicising his name even in a negative manner.
“I want to thank Mr Mnangagwa for being my big campaign manager. He is doing a fantastic job. The only unfortunate thing is that he has taken his campaign to places that he is not supposed to be, the church. I don’t mind what the devil says about me. But I will be worried if the devil says something good about me,” Chamisa said.
“I’m not like my brother (Mnangagwa) who goes to all churches doing pfee pfee. I don’t do that. I go to the Bishops, the leadership of the churches and engage them respectively. I will never go to any church congregation and chant slogans. That’s blasphemous. You’re poisoning holy places.
“As I have stated, the State House is not heaven. We can’t fight for power just for the sake of power. We are not fighting for power. We are fighting for change, values, dignity and peace.”
Chamisa accused top Zanu-PF leaders July Moyo, Mckenzie Ncube, Larry Mavhima of orchestrating Thursday’s violence against the opposition.
“Just yesterday in Gokwe, I was shocked that July Moyo, Mckenzie Ncube, Larry Mavhima were literally coordinating an alternative and counter programme,” he said.
“Not elsewhere but where we were holding our meeting. And of course they impose themselves on the police, making the lives of our police officers very difficult.”
