The Cost of Ego: How Zimbabwe’s Fragmented Opposition Keeps Power in ZANU-PF’s Hands

 

By: Sipho N Banana 

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Zimbabwe’s democratic struggle is being held hostage not by ZANU-PF alone, but by the opposition’s refusal to make strategic compromises. 

 Our opposition landscape today is littered with splinter parties, each carrying a banner of hope, each believing it has the key to salvation and yet collectively, they fail to move the needle of change. Why? Because we have mistaken going it alone for political strength, and in doing so, we’ve handed ZANU-PF victory after victory on a silver platter. 

 The idea of working together in Zimbabwean politics is too often misunderstood. For some, it means merging parties. For others, it means compromising core values. But that is a narrow and self-defeating view. Collaboration does not have to mean surrendering identity but it means building a unified front capable of achieving shared goals. It means putting Zimbabwe first, not party logos. 

 The Pitfalls of Fragmentation 

 In the 2018 elections, over 20 opposition parties contested the presidency. Many of them knew they had no realistic path to State House, yet they fielded candidates anyway. What followed was a familiar outcome: ZANU-PF maintained power, not because it had overwhelming support, but because the opposition had once again diluted itself to the point of irrelevance. Had even half of those parties chosen to support a single credible candidate, we might be living in a different Zimbabwe today. In 2023, the story repeated itself. Smaller parties, many barely known beyond a few districts, insisted on participating “independently.” The result was predictable: they split the protest vote, gave legitimacy to a flawed election, and further confused the electorate. Voters were left asking — who really represents us? 

 Meanwhile, the ruling party used this confusion to tighten its grip. This obsession with individuality and the desire to wear one’s own colours, speak from one’s own podium, and claim credit for imagined victories has reduced the influence of many political parties to that of pressure groups. They make noise, issue statements, march when permitted but they cannot shift power. Why? Because real power in politics comes from numbers, strategy, and unity.

 Strategic Partnership ≠ Merger 

 Let’s be clear: no one is saying every political party must dissolve into another. But collaboration doesn’t require a merger. It requires a shared agenda, coordinated action, and the maturity to know when to lead and when to support. Political coalitions elsewhere in Africa such as Kenya’s 2002 National Rainbow Coalition or Malawi’s 2020 Tonse Alliance succeeded not because everyone became one party, but because they recognised the moment demanded unity above ego. Zimbabwe’s opposition must learn the same lesson. It must stop operating as a collection of competing brands and start acting like a movement. 

That doesn’t mean pretending we all agree on everything. It means agreeing on what matters most ending authoritarian rule, restoring the dignity of our people, and creating a democratic state that works for all. 

 The Way Forward 

 To move forward, opposition parties must: 

 1. Create platforms for dialogue and trust-building among themselves, not just in election years, but permanently. 

 2. Develop shared strategies for engagement, including joint rallies, coordinated messaging, and protection of each other’s political space. 

 3. Stop prioritizing publicity over purpose. Just because your logo isn’t in front doesn’t mean your work doesn’t matter. 

 4. Involve civil society and independent voices in fostering unity, offering neutral ground for building coalitions that are more than just election pacts.

 

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 Conclusion: 

 Unity is Not Weakness The real threat to ZANU-PF is not any single opposition leader. It is a united movement that refuses to be divided by small ambitions. Zimbabweans are hungry for change they are desperate for leaders who show not only courage but wisdom and humility. 

 Until opposition parties learn to compromise strategically, their noble intentions will keep being buried under the weight of their own egos. The time has come to move from fragmentation to formation not necessarily of one party, but of one purpose. Because if we do not come together, we will keep coming apart and ZANU-PF will remain the only one smiling.

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