THE OPPOSITION IS THE PEOPLE AND THEY WILL RISE AGAIN

The Nkulumane by-election result has caused pain and anger among many Zimbabweans, but it must not be used to bury the spirit of the opposition. Zanu PF candidate Freedom Murechu won the seat with 3 416 votes, while opposition and independent candidates shared the rest. This election followed the death of Nkulumane Member of Parliament Desire Moyo in a road accident on October 10. On the surface, this looks like another clear win for Zanu PF. But beneath the numbers is a deeper truth that must not be ignored.

The real opposition in Zimbabwe has never been just a party or a leader. The opposition is the people. It is the millions who have suffered under corruption, poverty, fear, and broken promises. It is the vendors chased from the streets, the workers earning nothing, the youth with no future, and the families pushed into hunger. Parties may rise and fall, but the people remain.

Yes, the opposition parties are weak right now. CCC is in a painful place. It has been torn apart by repression, infiltration, court games, recalls, and internal fights. Many supporters feel confused and disappointed. The by-election results reflect this reality. The opposition vote was split and disorganised. This did not happen by accident. It was designed by Zanu PF to destroy hope and belief.

I still support Nelson Chamisa. I believe he was targeted because he represented the will of the people. When he said the movement had been hijacked and infiltrated, he was telling the truth. In authoritarian systems, the state does not just beat you in elections. It captures courts, buys leaders, divides movements, and turns opposition against itself. Chamisa chose to step away from captured structures, not because he abandoned the people, but because he refused to legitimise theft.

The biggest mistake many make is to think the opposition failed because of one man. That is not true. The opposition was attacked by a powerful system with money, violence, laws, and propaganda on its side. Blaming the people or their leaders alone helps Zanu PF succeed in rewriting the story.

What we saw in Nkulumane is not the death of resistance. It is the silence of a wounded people who have been betrayed many times. People are tired of voting and seeing their votes stolen. They are tired of marching and being beaten. They are tired of believing and being disappointed. Silence should not be mistaken for surrender.

Zanu PF itself is not strong. It is divided by succession fights and greed. The debate around extending President Mnangagwa’s rule beyond 2028 has opened deep cracks in the party. These cracks matter. History shows that no authoritarian system lasts forever. They collapse slowly, then suddenly.

The people of Zimbabwe have not given up. They are watching. They are learning. They are waiting. The struggle is changing shape, not ending. The opposition is not a logo or a court-recognised party. It is a shared memory of injustice and a shared dream of freedom.

Zanu PF may celebrate Nkulumane today. They may believe they have crushed all resistance. But power taken through force and theft never belongs to those who hold it. In the end, the people always return for what was stolen from them. And when they do, no court, no party capture, and no repression will stop them.