Mutebuka Stands Up For Chamisa Amid Bribery Allegations
UK-based Zimbabwean lawyer Brighton Mutebuka has come to the defence of former CCC leader Nelson Chamisa, who has faced significant criticism on social media in recent days.
High-profile figures, including journalist Hopewell Chin’ono and academic Ibbo Mandaza, have suggested that Chamisa might have been bribed by President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
Together with self-exiled former ZANU PF Politburo member Savior Kasukuwere’s ally, Ali Naka, they have called for Chamisa to publicly announce his retirement from politics to make way for another opposition candidate, even threatening to “expose” him.
In a post on X, Mutebuka claimed that the allegations against Chamisa originated from his former close ally, Chalton Hwende. Wrote Mutebuka:
SADC Summit and Beyond – The Smear Campaign To Delegitimise Nelson Chamisa
1. As previously stated, I have tried to get to the bottom of the rumours that were swirling on X yesterday suggesting that Chamisa’s perceived inaction in the aftermath of the stolen August 2023 elections was due to being “bought” by the regime.
2. The innuendos relating to this were mainly circulated by Victor, the X character known as Ali Naka & discredited journalist, Hopewell Chin’ono amongst others, on the X accounts.
3. The insinuation was that they had explosive evidence at the ready which confirmed that Chamisa had corruptly accepted bribes from the regime & thus been compromised so as to literally upend the democratic struggle for the benefit the regime.
4. The good Prof Ibbo Mandaza was also, unfortunately, a victim of the sophisticated Russian-style disinformation campaign timed to perfection – in the immediate aftermath of ED’s coronation at the SADC Summit in Harare – which was a painful blow to swallow to the opposition movement.
5. The well-coordinated campaign was very effective in making the saga trend. In the end, I resolved to get to the bottom of it by seeking to establish the source of the campaign & the motive behind it.
What Emerged From My Research – Source Of The Rumour(s)
a. At least 5 well-placed sources identified Chalton Hwende as the source of the allegations.
b. The sources further stated that Hwende did not only level accusations of financial impropriety against Chamisa.
c. I will not address the other allegation that was made, of a personal nature and extremely hurtful.
d. The sources stated that the allegations were shared with Ali Naka and discredited journalist Hopewell Chin’ono, amongst others.
e. It was confirmed to me that there was no iota of evidence to support the long-shot allegation that a local Law Firm had secretly stored the “stash.”
f. The sources stated that there are current behind-the-scenes manoeuvres at forging “unity” & returning to the banner of the old MDC which has sucked in Mwonzora, Prince Dubeko Sibanda, Hwende & others – with all of them being united by the idea that Chamisa is the main obstacle – which would then open grounds for an Détente with ED’s regime.
g. The sources further stated that Hwende & others are conspiring to ensure that Nelson Chamisa never appears on Zimbabwean ballot papers again – including helping to cause his arrest by the regime if was felt necessary.
h. An alleged Nigerian kingpin who Hopewell & Hwende allegedly said had paid both Hwende & Chamisa, a certain Peters – who is allegedly ED’s runner apparently fell out with Hwende sometime in 2021 & had actually been Hwende’s business partner.
i. It was stated that the scope & breadth of Hopewell’s motivations are many and varied, including the possibility of entertaining launching his own solo political career.
j. Additionally, in addition to these 5 sources – over the past 2 years other sources have disclosed that Hopewell has got an exceptionally close relationship with the First Lady – who is a former intelligence operative herself.
Motives Behind The Allegations
1. Some of the sources stated that they believe that the strategy was to wage a disinformation campaign by whipping opposition supporters into an anti-Chamisa frenzy & delegitimising him as an opposition stalwart.
2. Craft a convincing narrative to account for the implosion in CCC which shifts the blame away from Hwende & others – which is the current situation – to Chamisa.
3. To emphatically destroy Chamisa as a political force for good, through severely denting his image and integrity – and creating a compelling & corrupt link between the inaction after the elections & the reason for that inaction.
4. For Hwende & his cabal to personally cleanse themselves of the stigma surrounding their current dalliances with the regime and the fallout with Chamisa amongst opposition supporters.
5. It was said that such a development would, in the eyes of the plotters, engineer a soft landing for them to be welcomed by rank & file opposition supporters across the country – with it being notable that none have so far had the temerity to undertake such rallies.
6. It was stated that the intention was to pave the way, so to speak – banking on the fact that some opposition supporters could be gullible.
Key Points To Note
i. It is significant that none of the shady characters in the form of the notorious Russian-style social media agitator
Ali Naka & Hopewell Chin’ono – who is more of a political activist than a Journalist, has put forward any explicit or compelling evidence corroborating their sensational & deeply irresponsible allegations.ii. All they have done is deploy blackmail via threatening to disclose the information – a classic tool usually employed by professional character assassins/mandarins or Czars.
iii. Such a strategy is deadly when no such evidence exists. Intelligence assets are also prone to employing it – as the tantalising threat will be more appealing to the public, and is thus attention-grabbing.
iv. This will allow it to gain credence & circulation via amplification up to the point that it will appear authentic & thus become agenda-shaping.
v. In the current situation, the combined X platforms of Hopewell & Victor / aka Ali Naka have got close to a million followers across the world.
vi. Working the X algorithm – impressions wise, they have reached an audience of several million and made the saga trend while shifting the opinions of many on the Zimbabwean political landscape & beyond.
vii. As you can see, it’s an effective disinformation campaign. No one will be held accountable. No evidence will be presented, and a restive population has been manipulated.
viii. The agitators have partially succeeded in discrediting Chamisa while offering no practical solutions themselves in addressing the political crisis pursuant to creating a vacuum that they deludedly think can either exploit themselves – or by default help the regime to do it.
ix. Where the strategy has been perfectly executed is in combining excellent timing – in the immediate aftermath of the SADC Summit, where ED emerged triumphant & opposition supporters despondent – and the weaponisation of Chamisa’s “Bible Verses”, in the face of inaction. The agitators had their perfect scapegoat!
x. Once the passions had been stirred enough, reason evaporated. Multitudes were ripe enough to gullibly accept that millions of US dollars could fall into Chamisa’s hands – and such a windfall could secretly be transacted & known by Hwende & others for so long without any paper trail, picture, image and the regime getting wind of it & arresting him & splashing the evidence in the media a la Pious Ncube?
xi. Much more importantly, if ED has successfully compromised Chamisa, why does he need the Tshabangu charade to do this bidding?
xii. Finally, there is the small matter of the hollow brand of politics that Hwende & his cabal have been transacting since they parted their ways with Chamisa. So timid have they been in opposing ED that to the discerning – they are much more likely to be the primary reason for why demos were never on the menu while Chamisa was still at the helm of CCC!
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