By Political Reporter- President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s spokesperson, George Charamba, has issued a chilling warning to the country’s most popular opposition leader, Nelson Chamisa, threatening aggressive state action if he fails to distance himself from what the ruling party claims is a neo-colonial agenda.
Charamba, who interchangeably uses the user name dhonzamusoro007 on X (formerly Twitter) on Tuesday, accused Chamisa of being a pawn of Western powers and implied that the opposition leader’s silence over the alleged “Back-to-Rhodesia” campaign by his supporters signifies complicity.
Char amba’s post read:
“HE NEEDS TO PRONOUNCE HIMSELF ON THIS BACK-TO-RHODESIA CAMPAIGN WHICH IS BEING RAN BY HIS WELL-KNOWN ACOLYTES. In the absence of his public disavowal of that shabby campaign by his renegades, we will paste it on him and go for him full throttle!!! Certain recidivist politics are a NO, NO, NO!!!!!!!”
Analysing this statement is a direct challenge to Chamisa, demanding public rejection of the alleged campaign or face intensified political persecution.
The accusations of promoting a “Back-to-Rhodesia” agenda are a clear attempt by ZANU PF to portray Chamisa as a symbol of neo-colonialism, a narrative designed to tarnish his nationalist credentials and alienate voters.
The “Back-to-Rhodesia” claim diverts public attention from ZANU PF’s governance failures and frames the opposition as unpatriotic, capitalising on the country’s strong anti-colonial sentiments.
Charamba’s demand forces Chamisa into a lose-lose scenario—his silence could be interpreted as support for the campaign, while a public denial risks alienating his grassroots supporters.
By framing Chamisa as a Western puppet, ZANU PF seeks to consolidate its image as the defender of the country’s sovereignty and delegitimise the opposition’s calls for democratic reforms.
The “full throttle” warning signals potential escalation in state-sponsored crackdowns, including propaganda, legal charges, or suppression of opposition activities.
ZANU PF has a long history of weaponising patriotism to suppress dissent.
Opposition figures have faced arrests, violence, and smear campaigns, often under the guise of protecting the country’s sovereignty.
Charamba’s statement follows this well-worn playbook, signaling a calculated effort to discredit Chamisa ahead of future elections.