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Zimbabweans Respond To Nero’s BBC HardTalk Interview
11 May 2018
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Below are some of the responses by Zimbabweans to Chamisa’s BBC HARDTALK Interview which is set to be aired tonight by the ZBC at 1930 hours.

Media and Communication Specialist: Maggie Mzumara says: “I don’t think the interview was badly done.
Actually I think Advocate Chamisa held his own. Quite well.

Composed till the end, and he stayed on message (what folks are calling repeating himself, it’s called ‘staying on message’.) He demonstrated great interviewee etiquette, didn’t flinch, not once. Didn’t speak over or above the interviewer; wasn’t argumentative; did not betray any emotion.

Did not insult; Did not retaliate or give back the aggression he was getting from an aggressive interviewer. If he took offence he didn’t show it or let that take him over.

Scored key points of his own, some even good enough to make soundbites of note. What’s more -The queen’s language did not desert him in his hour of need in that hot seat..

HardTalk is exactly that – hard talk – and it can unnerve even the best of us. And he, MDC Alliance President, survived it without any visible sweat or stammering.

Of course, the “lies” – the “LIES” – are regrettable and they are always going to come back to haunt him. Those Trump, US$15 billion promises, whatnot… very regrettable.

The “lies” and half truths and less-than-truths and misrepresentations of facts he said before, during or after the interview – are always going to dog him. Very regrettable.

Beyond giving himself a pat on the back for an interview, otherwise well handled (technique wise) there are some take-homes here.

Before I get to those it is would be helpful to point out that in an interview as in any communication transaction there is the content dimension and technique/process dimension. On technique the Advocate did well, it’s on content that he may need further work. To ensure he eliminates “lies”, half truths and misrepresentations of the facts in his deliveries.

The take-home here includes, but it not limited to this: that the Advocate would do well to know and remember always that when you speak at the level he is speaking – at rallies whatnot – you do not speak into a vacuum. You speak to real people, most of them adults who hear you and have the mental capacity and presence of mind to analyse and evaluate the content of what you say. These people hear, they remember and they can critique and question you long after your-heat-of-the-moment political whims and banter.

So best think twice before speaking. You cannot afford to be taken over by/at the spur of the moment. It can come back to haunt you.

The Miranda rights apply here: Whatever you say can and shall be used against you.
If you have nothing truthful to say about certain aspects/issues, be silent on those. You do have a right to remain silent on what you are not sure of, what you do not have an answer or strategy for yet. Speak only on that which is truthful, factual, which you know is practical and practicable, keep away from the Wonderland, you are not Alice and this is not a fairy tale, it’s the real world.

After all is said and done though, beyond interview deliveries and whatnot, Advocate Chamisa and his team need to have some real answers to the people’s challenges beyond the rhetoric. Craft some serious strategies and have policy positions. Takazoti ideology yavo chii as MDC or as MDC Alliance? That needs to come out strong. And of course messaging – the broader messaging – needs to improve. It should.

(Disclaimer: Am not a member of the MDC, neither do I belong to Zanu-PF or any other party. I write as a journalist, a blogger and a political commentator & analyst. Simply stating it as I see it, regardless of who subject is.)
Am also an active and discerning citizen who is also a registered voter still deciding where to put my X.

Larry Magede on facebook says “You can’t do that to Malema!… shuwa kuti “mhinduro yako is absolute nonsense,rubbish!”…. Juju anokuudza kuti chizvipindura wega zvaunoti zvinemsoro?”

Tariro Daphne says: Watched the BBC HardTalk interview.To be fair Chamisa did hold his own.He was firm despite the sometimes biased hostile badgering.

Abraham Nyon: “For a first timer it wasn’t bad. But let’s not be engulfed by the spirit of hero worshipping. We are bound to create a dictator. The journo only helped in opening up on some utterances that are supposed to be avoided. NC need strong PR team perhaps coz some of the speeches just like the Gen sound rushed.”

William Noko: Chamisa should have good advisors who knows politics. He has a long way to go. Hard talk will never be for the weak!!

Admire Makuzva “Its called hardtalk my dear, they are not there to sing praises to anyone but to grill people”.

Tate Wamabo Maphosa says “the interviewee saying yu gonna lose election what kind of journalism is that!!!!!”

Richard Runyararo Mahomva :”Imagine Cde Guvheya on BBC Hard Talk”

Chrisy Mahachi : “Intelligent Mugabe almost slapped the interviewer tho chakambomira mira nehasha Musharraf reminded the interviewer that he was the President of Pakistan, Obasanjo walked out, Odinga became silent and Hillary Clinton became violent….. HardTalk is hard. Chamisa did well and he gets a 7/10.”