Africa-Press – Zimbabwe. Opposition politician Nelson Chamisa has renewed calls for national dialogue, urging Zimbabweans to “find each other and walk in unity,” warning that deepening political and social divisions are eroding the country’s social development.
In a Unity Day statement released this morning, Chamisa said hatred, intolerance and disunity now dominate politics, institutions, churches and homes, leaving Zimbabwe “deeply fractured politically, socially and economically.”
His remarks come amid a heavily polarised political environment marked by rivalry between the ruling Zanu PF and a fragmented opposition.
The opposition has splintered into multiple formations, weakened by internal power struggles, recalls of legislators, court battles and competing claims to legitimacy. Once a vibrant political force, the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC), formerly led by Chamisa, has been rocked by divisions, parallel structures and rival leadership claims, resulting in what critics describe as an almost hollow parliamentary presence.
Political discourse on social media has also increasingly been characterised by personal attacks, misinformation and politics of hatred, further widening divisions.
Chamisa said unity should not be treated as a slogan but as the starting point for national recovery through genuine dialogue.
“Zimbabweans must find each other and walk in unity, celebrating their unity in diversity,” he said. “We must build a shared vision that unites all Zimbabweans under a common trajectory — the Zimbabwe we desire, the Zimbabwe we want and the Zimbabwe we demand.”
“For too long, we have allowed hatred, intolerance and division to define us,” he added.
Chamisa said continued celebrations of Unity Day ring hollow while long-standing grievances such as Gukurahundi remain unresolved, electoral disputes persist and political parties are plagued by intolerance, violence and internal conflict.
He also pointed to widening socio-economic inequalities, rising unemployment and poverty, as well as sustained migration and brain drain, as factors deepening national fractures.
“The negative energy we waste fighting one another, pulling each other down and plotting against each other could instead be redirected toward productive solutions and meaningful collaboration,” he said. “Too often, we are quick to blame others, yet we fail to recognise that, in many ways, we have become our own greatest enemy.”
Chamisa accused government leaders of abdicating their responsibilities by prioritising personal gain, political survival and partisan point-scoring over national healing.
Political analysts have similarly attributed the continued arrest and detention of opposition politicians, activists and government critics to growing intolerance within the political system. They argue that the use of law enforcement and the criminal justice system to suppress dissent has narrowed democratic space, deepened mistrust and entrenched a culture of fear that undermines prospects for dialogue and national cohesion.
“Institutions meant to uphold justice, fairness and accountability have been weakened or co-opted,” Chamisa said. “Promises of reconciliation, equitable development and social cohesion have largely gone unfulfilled, leaving citizens disillusioned and the nation fragmented. True unity requires not only understanding but concrete mechanisms to resolve disputes and foster national cohesion.”
He called for a sustainable, long-term resolution to Zimbabwe’s recurring electoral disputes.
“Zimbabwe must honour and respect the voice of its citizens, doing away with contested and discredited national processes and outcomes,” Chamisa said. “Resolving this foundational issue is critical to addressing the nation’s deeper challenges.”
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