By Tinashe Sambiri
United Kingdom-based Zimbabwean lawyer and political commentator Brighton Mutebuka has called on citizens to stop blaming opposition leader Nelson Chamisa and instead take personal responsibility in the broader struggle for democratic change.
Posting on X (formerly Twitter) on Wednesday, Mutebuka addressed growing frustration within opposition circles, particularly aimed at Chamisa’s leadership style and strategic choices in the face of Zimbabwe’s authoritarian political landscape.
“No matter how powerful or popular, a nation cannot be liberated by one leader,” Mutebuka wrote. “It’s a collective effort — a covenant involving the leader and those he or she leads. They fail and succeed together.”
He drew parallels between the criticism Chamisa is currently facing and the backlash that the late MDC founding leader Morgan Tsvangirai once endured during his time at the helm of the opposition.
“The frustrations many are going through vis-à-vis @nelsonchamisa’s leadership of the opposition were also experienced during Tsvangirai’s era,” Mutebuka explained. “They are natural when the struggle for democratic change is being pursued peacefully and constitutionally in an environment marked by a dictatorship.”
Mutebuka’s remarks come at a time when some citizens and political actors have intensified calls for Chamisa to take more confrontational action against the ruling regime. But the UK-based analyst insists that change in Zimbabwe will require more than just a charismatic figurehead.
He emphasized that mass participation and civic courage are essential to overcome systemic repression, suggesting that placing the entire burden on one individual is both unfair and unrealistic.
His comments have since sparked conversation online, with some agreeing that the opposition movement must take a more collective approach while others remain critical of Chamisa’s perceived inaction.
Mutebuka, a respected legal practitioner and principal at Mutebuka & Co Immigration Lawyers, has remained vocal on Zimbabwean political issues, often advocating for peaceful resistance, institutional reform, and collective action.
As the debate around opposition strategy continues to intensify, his call serves as a reminder that real transformation in Zimbabwe requires more than just one man — it demands a unified and engaged citizenry.