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Christopher Farai Charamba, Correspondent
Mawarire’s ground support has also waned as many became sceptical and suspicious of his intentions when he left for America claiming he was going on a business trip to South Africa. Now that he has returned, more questions are being asked but people will likely not be so quick to blindly follow him after they were duped Cleric-cum-political activist Evan Mawarire returned to Zimbabwe on Wednesday after a six-month self-imposed exile in the United States of America where it was believed he had sought asylum and had been given a Green Card.

When #ThisFlag broke the news on their social media pages, many wondered and questioned why Mawarire had returned after it seemed he had abandoned his ill-defined cause which he had skilfully used to secure greener pastures for himself and his family.

The speculation was rife on social media, some positing that he had returned to continue where he had left off while others claimed he was a booted out by the newly inaugurated Donald Trump administration.

Upon his sudden arrival, Mawarire was detained at Harare International Airport and subsequently taken to Harare Central Police Station where, according to his lawyers, he has been charged under Section 22 of the Criminal Code, Subverting a Constitutional Government.

The timing of Mawarire’s return is of some interest. For a man who said he left country because he felt that his and his family’s lives were in danger, one wonders whether that perceived danger has since passed away.

Or could it be that since the popularity and attention of Mawarire’s movement has wilted, he must now try to revitalise it to maintain the support of his Western benefactors?

Is it by chance that his return coincides with the visit of the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) CEO’s first visit to Zimbabwe in over a decade? Zimbabwe has been working on reengaging the international community particularly focusing on clearing the country’s arrears with international financial institutions.

Could it be that Mawarire intends to scuttle this reengagement that Finance Minister Patrick Chinamasa has been working on? Members of the #ThisFlag movement have in other quarters expressed their disapproval of the UK and other foreign governments and entities re-engaging with the Zimbabwean government.

One can certainly offer a number of different theories pertaining to the return of Evan Mawarire, and in a nation that enjoys such speculative conversation, there will certainly be a plethora of them.

Something that presents more questions than it does answers is that Mawarire himself has said that he has political aspirations. This could therefore be the real reason that he has returned.

In an interview with Simon Allison of the Daily Maverick in South Africa, Mawarire said, “The more I think about the options, the steps going forward, I realise you can only shout about potholes for so long. You start to realise where change comes from. So at some point we have to start saying that for those that have the ability, the passion, or the buy-in from the people, it may be time to throw your hat in.”

One, however, wonders where this newfound political nerve Mawarire has acquired has come from. When the question of political office was mooted while he was around, he and others within the #ThisFlag movement vehemently claimed their movement was apolitical and served as a citizen’s voice to hold politicians accountable.

So why the turnaround? Could it be that while Mawarire was cooped up across the Atlantic where his patrons planted the seed of political office in his mind? Would it be farfetched for one to postulate that Mawarire is the West’s chosen man to lead the hapless political coalition that is being spoken of?

Is it a coincidence that the Mawarire’s return comes off the electoral victory and inauguration of President Adama Barrow in The Gambia? The former real estate developer who ran as an independent did receive the full backing of a coalition which led to his victory.

What was more interesting though is that this was an electoral victory for which one Jeffrey Smith and Vanguard Africa, a US consultancy firm, have taken credit for.

Vanguard Africa is a Washington DC-based organisation that offers support to aspiring politicians in African countries.

Its Executive Director is Human Rights and African Affairs consultant Jeffrey Smith, who has worked for the CIA and the USA’s National Security Council.

Also on the Vanguard Africa team as Senior Advisor is American campaign consultant Joe Trippi, who handled Morgan Tsvangirai during the 2008 elections.

In an article in Newsweek titled “How an American Consultancy Helped Oust Gambia’s Dictator”, Vanguard is said to have provided campaign advice and public relations support to candidates daring to run against Jammeh in the run-up to Gambia’s election.

They also expressed “hopes its successful campaign in Gambia will be a blueprint for working in other countries where fledgling movements need a boost”.

Could it be that Mawarire has teamed up with the CIA’s Jeffrey Smith and regime change agent Joe Trippi with a prospect of replicating the political outcome of The Gambia in Zimbabwe?

It indeed wouldn’t be the first time that the West has attempted such an exercise in Zimbabwe. Trippi already has knowledge of the political and electoral landscape in the country having worked with Tsvangirai in 2008.

After their experiment in The Gambia, it wouldn’t be farfetched to assume that Vanguard Africa now has its eyes set on the bigger fish Zimbabwe and making Mawarire their stooge.

He certainly would make a willing accomplice with his family still enjoying the hospitality of the Americans.

But this remains speculation. It is yet to be seen what Mawarire will do with his political ambitions. Untested in the political arena, it would be folly for opposition parties toying with the idea of a coalition to put Mawarire at its head.

If the Bikita West by-election and defeat of the previously untested Zimbabwe People First (ZimPF)is anything to go by, Mawarire should see that the political arena is not sympathetic even to those who believe they had some form political stock.

Mawarire’s ground support has also waned as                                                          many became sceptical and suspicious of his intentions when he left for America claiming he was going on a business trip to South Africa. Now that he has returned, more questions are being asked but people will likely not be so quick to blindly follow him after they were duped.

His return was sure to be an unceremonious one and perhaps should have passed as a non-event. However, he was detained at the airport and arrested, which could present him with a chance once again to step into the limelight and garner public and international sympathy.

Mawarire left Zimbawe as a free man after he had been acquitted following police bungling the State’s case against him. Many had since written him off as a traitor and an opportunist.

The police should have allowed him to pass through immigration normally. If the State has case against him they should have then brought him to book once they were sure that it was watertight rather than risk a similar embarrassment of last year.

However, now that they have taken this route, the State must work to ensure that when they bring his case to the courts, they have sufficient evidence to win. Mawarire, with the aid of whoever his sponsors are, will definitely use whatever they can to make the State look  unreasonable and to build his political stock and attempt to grow a political base.