Opposition politician Nelson Chamisa has announced a series of meetings with Zimbabweans living in the United Kingdom, describing the engagements as an opportunity to listen to the diaspora’s views on the country’s future.
Chamisa said he will embark on a “Diaspora Citizens Consultation, Engagement and Listening Tour” over the coming days, with events scheduled for London, Manchester and Corby.
According to the programme released by his team, the meetings will be held in London on Thursday at 5:00 pm, Manchester on Friday at 5:00 pm, and Corby on Sunday at 12:00 noon.
In a statement addressed to Zimbabweans in the UK, Chamisa said the tour is intended to strengthen ties between Zimbabwe and its diaspora while gathering views on the country’s challenges and future direction.
“This tour is an opportunity to hear your perspectives, engage on the challenges and opportunities facing our nation, and strengthen the vital partnership between Zimbabwe and its diaspora,” he said.
He encouraged Zimbabweans wishing to attend to register through his website for venue details and further information.
Details published on the registration portal show that the engagements will include a series of strategic roundtable discussions aimed at different sectors of the diaspora community.
The sessions include Professionals Round Table, Academics Round Table, Students Round Table, Pastors Round Table, and a Media Round Table, with organisers saying each discussion has been designed to encourage focused dialogue within specific spheres of influence.
Attendance is by registration, with organisers indicating that seating is limited. Participants are required to complete an online RSVP form providing their contact details and selecting the roundtable session they wish to attend.
The UK engagements mark one of Chamisa’s most visible public political activities since he stepped away from active frontline politics following his dramatic resignation as leader of the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) in January 2024.
At the time, Chamisa declared that the opposition party had been “contaminated”, “defiled” and “hijacked”, alleging that the ruling Zanu-PF party had infiltrated and compromised the movement through state institutions. Zanu-PF denied the allegations.
“I will have nothing to do with sewer politics,” Chamisa said in his 13-page resignation statement.
He also wrote that the original vision of the CCC had been “contaminated, bastardized, hijacked by ZANU PF through the abuse of State institutions.”
Although Chamisa indicated at the time that he intended to launch a new political movement within months, more than two and a half years have passed without a formal announcement.
During that period, he has largely remained out of Zimbabwean frontline politics while undertaking studies in the United States.
His UK consultation tour is therefore expected to attract significant interest from Zimbabweans in the diaspora, many of whom have been waiting for indications of his political plans and future direction.
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