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Mashudu Netsianda, Senior Reporter
The ruling party Zanu-PF has condemned the “inauguration” of MDC Alliance leader Mr Nelson Chamisa as the “president” of Zimbabwe during the party’s 19th anniversary celebrations in Harare, describing the move as treasonous and a calculated ploy to provoke the ruling party.

MDC Alliance vice president Mr Morgen Komichi declared Mr Chamisa “duly bestowed as a president of Zimbabwe” before the party supporters in a mock swearing in ceremony at Gwanzura Stadium in Harare’s Highfield suburb where the party was holding its celebrations.

In a statement yesterday, Zanu-PF National Secretary for Information and Publicity Cde Simon Khaya Moyo said the announcement by Mr Komichi that his boss had been “duly bestowed as the president of Zimbabwe” borders on treason and was a semblance of kindergarten spectacle.

“Yesterday’s (Saturday’s) political circus at the MDC Alliance celebrations at Gwanzura Stadium in Harare where those who attended were hoodwinked into believing that Nelson Chamisa is Zimbabwe’s president following the July 30 harmonised elections, resembled a kindergarten spectacle,” said Cde Khaya Moyo.

He said the announcement by Morgen Komichi at the rally that his boss had been duly bestowed as the president of Zimbabwe borders on treason and is condemnable.

Cde Khaya Moyo said inviting Mr Chamisa to the podium to light up what he termed “democracy flame” which resembled Zimbabwe’s Independence Flame, was an insult to the country’s protracted liberation struggle and an affront to the people of Zimbabwe as a whole.

He said MDC Alliance should take cognisance of the fact that Cde Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa was Zimbabwe’s only democratically elected President and Commander-in-Chief of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces.

President Mnangagwa garnered 50,6 percent of the votes cast in the July 30 Presidential contest while Mr Chamisa trailed behind him with 44, 3 percent of the votes.

Mr Chamisa challenged the poll results at the Constitutional Court and lost.

In a unanimous judgment in August, the full bench of nine judges of the Constitutional Court led by Chief Justice Malaba ruled that Mr Chamisa failed to prove allegations of electoral fraud in the Presidential Election.

Cde Khaya Moyo said Zanu-PF will not succumb to provocation after Mr Chamisa also revealed during the same event that he was planning to embark on a countrywide tour to mobilise his supporters to take to the streets to force President Mnangagwa and his Government out of power in the next two months.

“The MDC Alliance leadership must bear the consequences of such misguided conduct and avoid playing with fire. The revolutionary party Zanu-PF will not succumb to such provocation. Zimbabwe has one elected President and Commander-in-Chief of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces, Cde Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa. The entire world recognises this reality,” he said.

Cde Khaya Moyo said the country’s next harmonised elections are due in 2023 and urged the nation to focus on promoting unity, peace and development.

“Childish political games and seeking undeserved relevance must come to an end. Zimbabwe is not for sale,” he said.

— @mashnets