Trevor Ncube attacks Chamisa in series of tweets and citizens hit back

By Gibbs Dube | VOA Zimbabwe |

Alpha Media Holdings boss, Trevor Ncube, says the interim president of the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC), Nelson Chamisa, lacks leadership qualities, his dreams are being frowned upon by his peers and may become a dictator if elected by the people of Zimbabwe.

In a series of tweets, Ncube said Chamisa is allegedly afraid of Tendai Biti, Job Sikhala, Welshman Ncube and Hopewell Chin’ono.

He said, “I am making this thread with a deep sense of love for my brother in Christ, Nelson Chamisa. The same kind of love and frankness that characterized the meeting he requested in my office a while back. What people very close to Nelson say to me concerns me … These people say they have given up on Nelson but can’t tell him. That he is not a leader. That he is not a democrat. Some of these people have suggested exploring a Third Way, which I have since given up on, although Robert Chapman’s effort could be just that.

“These people say Nelson does not want to be accountable. That he feels threatened by people such as Tendai Biti, Welshman Ncube, Job Sikhala, Hopewell Chinono etc .Those who remain around him do so because they see him as a ticket to their own political ambitions. These people are frightened by the dreams that Nelson shares of him hearing from God. Dreams of him being told he will be at State House until old age. Most fervent Christians hear from God but there is always purity to what God says to us.”

Ncube, who is the chairperson of Alpha Media Holdings which publishes The Standard, Zimbabwe Independent, NewsDay and Weekly Digest, said there is need for Chamisa to always strive for team work.

“My own prayer for Nelson is that he realizes that successful national leadership is always a product of a strong team of rivals. Men and women who disagree passionately but are united around the big picture. Weak people, Yes Minister types, are why Zimbabwe is where it is. I am speaking out because nobody else will say this publicly because they are frightened of Nelson and his supporters. People think criticizing Nelson weakens the opposition. A leader who can’t stand scrutiny in opposition will be a dictator once elected into office.

“Foreign diplomats also share their deep concern and so do NGO’s who have previously supported Nelson. The military/intelligence believe they have Nelson under control. His supporters clearly don’t know this and they follow blindly. And why is this any of my business? Because a strong and principle opposition is important for prosperity. Because of the danger of electing another dictator to State House. Criticism and transparency strengthen leaders and institutions.”

There was no immediate reaction from CCC as party interim spokesperson, Fadzai Mahere, and her deputy, Ostallos Siziba, did not respond to questions sent to them. Siziba indicated that he was attending a meeting.

But some citizens took a swipe at Ncube saying he has become an appendage of the Zanu PF system of governance and therefore he was unfit to criticize or give advice to Chamisa.

Dr. Glen Muda, one of the people who responded to Ncube’s tweets, said, “First things first, you lied to the whole world in 2019 that Chamisa was going to abandon his supporters and wld be awarded an offer by Mnangagwa that he would not resist. That never happened. Did u apologize to him as your brother in Christ whom u have a deep sense of love for?”

Not to be outdone, a person using the twitter handle, D4, said, “This thread does not resonate well with the electorate. We are and shall remain behind Chamisa. Those you call are feared by Chamisa, why do you think they still hang around him if they have the capacity to stand alone. Your intentions are known and will be rejected.”

Cde Treasure Basopo was also unhappy about Ncube’s remarks.

“I will make this comment with a deep sense of love for my brother in Christ, Trevor Ncube. The same kind of love presumably demonstrated by your thread to NC .Junior employees as NEWSDAY are complaining that you haven’t been paying their salaries in a long time …”

However, Back to Bla, one of the citizens who also responded to Ncube’s tweets, said, “They’ll come here savaging your person and ridicule you, but, you’ve articulated well what many well enlightened Zimbabweans think. You are going to be labelled Zanu PF, Murakashi, Zanu PF project and even vulgar words unleashed on you. This is who they are!”

Mzingaye Brilliant Xaba, another respondent, had this to say: “Very interesting analysis. I feel like these were the same weaknesses which people like Joshua Nkomo, Oliver Rambo et al were accused of. Probably the bigger challenge is the strength of Zanu PF, than Chamisa’s weaknesses. I could be wrong though.