View source for Nelson Chamisa

{{Short description|Zimbabwean politician (born 1978)}}
{{EngvarB|date=May 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2020}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name                = Nelson Chamisa
| image               = Chiza (cropped).jpg
| office              = President of the [[Citizens Coalition For Change]]<br>{{nobold|Founder of the [[Citizens Coalition For Change]]}}
| term_start          = 22 January 2022
| term_end            = 25 January 2024
| successor           = 
| 1blankname          = Vice Presidents
| 1namedata           = [[Welshman Ncube]]<br>[[Tendai Biti]]<br>Lynette Karenyi Kore
| predecessor         = ''Party founded''
| office1             = President of the [[Movement for Democratic Change Alliance]]
| term_start1         = May 2019
| term_end1           = September 2021<br>{{small|Acting: 14 February 2018 - May 2019}}
| predecessor1        = ''[[Movement for Democratic Change – Tsvangirai#2018–2022 splits|Party split]]''
| successor1          = Douglas Mwonzora
| office2             = President of the [[Movement for Democratic Change - Tsvangirai]]
| term_start2         = 15 February 2018
| term_end2           = 22 April 2018<br>(disputed with [[Thokozani Khupe]])
| predecessor2        = [[Morgan Tsvangirai]]
| successor2          = [[Thokozani Khupe]]
| office3             = [[Ministry of Information and Communications Technology (Zimbabwe)|Minister of Information Communication Technology of Zimbabwe]]
| primeminister3      = [[Morgan Richard Tsvangirai]]
| president3          = [[Robert Mugabe]]
| term_start3         = 13 February 2009
| term_end3           = 31 July 2013
| successor3          = [[Supa Mandiwanzira]]
| predecessor3        = ''Position established''
| alma_mater          = [[Harare Polytechnic]]<br />[[University of Zimbabwe]]
| party               = N/A
| otherparty          = [[Citizens Coalition for Change]] (2022–2024) <br>[[Movement for Democratic Change Alliance]] (2019–2021)<br>[[Movement for Democratic Change – Tsvangirai]] (2005–2018)
| birth_date          = {{birth date and age|1978|02|02|df=y}}
| birth_place         = [[Masvingo|Fort Victoria]], [[Rhodesia]] <br />(now [[Masvingo]], [[Zimbabwe]])
| death_date          = 
| death_place         = 
| occupation          = {{flatlist|
*Politician 
*lawyer 
*theologist 
*activist}}
| residence           = [[Harare]], [[Zimbabwe]]
| footnotes           = 
}}
'''Nelson Chamisa''' (born 2 February 1978<ref name="mdc">{{Cite web |title=Nelson Chamisa |url=http://www.mdczimbabwe.org/Profiles/Secretariesandministers/nelsonchamisaprofile.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051119005745/http://www.mdczimbabwe.org/Profiles/Secretariesandministers/nelsonchamisaprofile.htm |archive-date=19 November 2005 |access-date=1 April 2007 |website=Movement for Democratic Change Online |publisher=Movement for Democratic Change}}</ref>) is a Zimbabwean [[politician]] and the former President of the [[Citizens Coalition For Change]].<ref>{{Cite news |last=Moyo |first=Thandekile |date=2022-02-28 |title=NORTHERN EXPOSURE OP-ED: Zimbabwe's new political party, Citizens Coalition for Change, sparks fear and violence from Zanu-PF |language=en |work=Daily Maverick |url=https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2022-02-28-zimbabwes-new-political-party-citizens-coalition-for-change-sparks-fear-and-violence-from-zanu-pf/ |access-date=2022-03-10}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |title=Jubilant Citizens Coalition for Change Supporters |language=en |work=Voice Of America Zimbabwe |url=https://www.voazimbabwe.com/a/citizens-coalition-for-change-supporters/6451415.html |access-date=2022-03-10}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=AfricaNews |date=2022-02-21 |title=Zimbabwe's opposition attracts thousands to first rally under new banner |language=en |url=https://www.africanews.com/2022/02/21/zimbabwe-s-opposition-attracts-thousands-to-first-rally-under-new-banner/ |access-date=2022-03-10}}</ref> He served as Member of the [[House of Assembly of Zimbabwe]] for Kuwadzana East, [[Harare]]. Chamisa was the [[MDC Alliance]]'s candidate for president in the [[2018 Zimbabwean general election|2018 general election]], having previously been the leader of the party's youth assembly.<ref>{{Cite web |last=The Harare Times |date=30 November 2018 |title=What next for Nelson Chamisa? |url=https://www.thehararetimes.com/what-next-for-nelson-chamisa/ |website=The Harare Times}}</ref> He was the Presidential candidate for the Citizens Coalition for Change in the 2023 Zimbabwean Presidential election. He has served as the former chairperson of national youth for the same party as well as the Secretary for Information and Publicity for the opposition party Movement for Democratic Change (MDC). In 2003, at the age of 25, Chamisa became the youngest Member of Parliament. Chamisa was also the youngest cabinet minister in Government of National Unity of Zimbabwe in 2009.

== Biography ==
He was born in the small town of [[Masvingo]] in 1978. Nelson studied at [[Harare Polytechnic]] and the [[University of Zimbabwe]].{{cn|date=November 2023}}

Chamisa is the former chairperson of the [[Movement for Democratic Change (1999–2005)|MDC]] Youth Assembly. He was elected [[MDC Alliance]]'s spokesman at the Party Congress in June 2006. In April 2011 at the Party's congress in [[Bulawayo]], he was elected as the party's organising secretary, a post that previously belonged to [[Elias Mudzuri]]. In Parliament, he was chair of the portfolio committees of Defence and Home Affairs, Public Accounts, Gender and Youth, and Transport and Communications. Chamisa is also a member of the Local Government, Public Works & Urban Development, and the African Caribbean and Pacific Parliament. He is a former secretary-general of the Zimbabwe National Students Union.

In March 2007 he was attacked at [[Harare International Airport]] as he attempted to leave the country for Belgium; he was admitted to a hospital with a broken skull. In regards to the current situation in Zimbabwe, he said, "There is no security. There is no protection. All of us are at risk."<ref name="bbc">{{Cite web |date=18 March 2007 |title=Zimbabwe stops activists leaving |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/6463653.stm |access-date=1 April 2007 |website=BBC Online}}</ref>

On 10 February 2009, [[Morgan Tsvangirai]] designated Chamisa for the position of [[Minister (government)|Minister]] of Information, Communication, and Technology as part of the national unity government.<ref>[http://allafrica.com/stories/200902100475.html "Zimbabwe: Full Tsvangirai MDC Cabinet List"], SW Radio Africa (allAfrica.com), 10 February 2009.</ref> After taking office, he fell into a dispute with [[Webster Shamu]], the [[Ministry of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services (Zimbabwe)|Minister of Information and Publicity]], regarding which ministry should deal with telecommunications. ''[[The Herald (Zimbabwe)|The Herald]]'' reported on 10 April 2009, that President [[Robert Mugabe]] had assigned responsibility for telecommunications to the [[Ministry of Transport, Communication and Infrastructural Development (Zimbabwe)|Ministry of Transport]], headed by [[Nicholas Goche]].<ref>[http://www.int.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=84&art_id=nw20090410124717675C344831 "Mugabe gives ally control of telecoms"], Sapa-AFP (''IOL''), 10 April 2009.</ref> Chamisa and Tsvangirai objected to this decision, saying that Mugabe had no power to unilaterally assign telecommunications to another ministry under the terms of the power-sharing agreement.

Chamisa served as a cabinet minister from February 2009 to July 2013, until the end of the [[Government]] of national Unity. He also served as the [[MDC-T|Movement for Democratic Change's]] organising secretary. He lost the position of party Secretary-General in the party's 2014 Congress to Douglas Mwonzora. Chamisa has been accused of barring other youth and student leaders from having closer access to party president Tsvangirai, a move allegedly meant to protect his position. After the expulsion of [[Tendai Biti]] and [[Elton Mangoma]], Chamisa's relationship with Morgan Tsvangirai deteriorated; he was apparently not well-liked by Tsvangirai's loyalists. On 16 July 2016 Chamisa was appointed as co-Vice President of the MDC by Tsvangirai to serve alongside Mudzuri and Khupe.

When party leader Morgan Tsvangirai began battling colon cancer, power struggles began to ensue in the party, mainly between the three Vice Presidents Chamisa, [[Elias Mudzuri]] and [[Thokozani Khupe]]. On 14 February 2018, it was announced that Tsvangirai had succumbed to colon cancer in the hospital and the next day, the Party's national council appointed Chamisa acting president for a period of 12 months effectively elbowing Mudzuri and Khupe out. As the new President of the MDC he also took over the role of Leader of the [[MDC Alliance]].

On 30 July 2018, Chamisa lost a disputed election to [[ZANU–PF|ZANU PF's]] [[Emmerson Mnangagwa|Mnangagwa]]. The election has been widely criticized for lacking credibility and being unfair.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Welle (www.dw.com) |first=Deutsche |title=News and current affairs from Germany and around the world {{!}} DW |url=https://www.dw.com/en/top-stories/s-9097 |access-date=27 May 2020 |website=DW.COM |language=en-GB}}</ref> Chamisa challenged the election results in Zimbabwe's [[constitutional court]] but his challenge was dismissed with cost. After the failure to convince the Constitutional Court, Chamisa questioned the independence of the judiciary and has since promised his supporters a strategy to regain stolen electoral victory.<ref>{{Cite web |date=November 30, 2018 |title=What next for Nelson Chamisa? |url=https://www.thehararetimes.com/what-next-for-nelson-chamisa/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190105201101/https://www.thehararetimes.com/what-next-for-nelson-chamisa/ |archive-date=January 5, 2019 |website=thehararetimes.com}}</ref>

Chamisa claims ZANU-PF lost elections. His claims are partially backed up by the EU observers and several other observer bodies that reported the elections were not free and fair.<ref>{{Cite web |title=OVERVIEW: Zimbabwe election result 'fraudulent, illegal, illegitimate', says opposition chief |url=https://www.news24.com/news24/Africa/Zimbabwe/live-streets-quiet-in-zimbabwes-capital-after-president-mnangagwa-declared-election-winner-20180803 |access-date=2021-11-16 |website=News24 |language=en-US}}</ref>

In October 2021, their political party denounced a new attack against its leader, Nelson Chamisa, who came out unscathed after being shot the day before while in his car after a political rally.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-10-20 |title=L'opposition zimbabwéenne dénonce une nouvelle attaque visant son leader |url=https://www.voaafrique.com/a/zimbabwe-l-opposition-dénonce-une-nouvelle-attaque-visant-son-leader/6278748.html |access-date=2023-06-27 |website=VOA |language=fr}}</ref>

He resigned on 27 January 2024 citing government interference that has "contaminated" and "hijacked" the CCC.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2024-01-25 |title=Nelson Chamisa: Zimbabwe opposition CCC leader quits 'contaminated' party |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-68095685 |access-date=2024-01-27 |language=en-GB}}</ref>

== Education ==
Chamisa holds a master's in International Relations and Diplomacy from the University of Zimbabwe, Governance and Development Studies degree from the Stanford University in California USA, bachelor's degree in political science and public administration, and an LLB (Honours) from the [[University of Zimbabwe]]. He is a qualified lawyer and has worked for Harare law firm Atherstone and Cook since November 2014. In 2016, he obtained a degree in [[Pentecostal]] Theology from Living Waters Theological Seminary of [[Harare]], a seminary affiliated with the [[Apostolic Faith Mission in Zimbabwe]].<ref>Herald, [https://www.herald.co.zw/chamisa-now-a-pastor/ Chamisa now a pastor], herald.co.zw, USA, 28 November 2016</ref>

== Political beliefs ==
Chamisa has been characterized as a Christian social conservative<ref>{{Cite news |date=2023-08-11 |title=Zimbabwe: Zim Elections - CCC Vows to Run Country On Christian Values |language=en |work=New Zimbabwe |url=https://allafrica.com/stories/202308110236.html |access-date=2023-08-23}}</ref> and an economic progressive.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Vinga |first=Alois |date=2021-11-02 |title=Zimbabwe: Chamisa Bemoans Zimbabwe's Extreme Poverty Levels |language=en |work=New Zimbabwe |url=https://allafrica.com/stories/202111020406.html |access-date=2023-08-23}}</ref>

=== Stance on Israel ===
During the run-up to the 2018 elections, Nelson Chamisa embarked on a tour of Israel. His spokesperson and office refused to share the reasons of the visit, saying "It was a private visit, which was undertaken by the president and we expect him in the country anytime from now".<ref>{{Cite news |last=Ncube |first=Xolisani |date=1 July 2018 |title=Chamisa goes to Israel |work=The Standard |url=https://www.thestandard.co.zw/2018/07/01/chamisa-goes-israel/ |access-date=4 October 2019}}</ref> Upon his return, he declared that should he win, Zimbabwe would open an embassy in Israel,<ref>{{Cite news |date=7 June 2018 |title=Zimbabwe opposition pledges upgraded ties with Israel if it takes power |work=The Times of Israel |url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/zimbabwe-opposition-pledges-upgraded-ties-with-israel-if-it-takes-power/ |access-date=4 October 2019}}</ref> a decisions which was criticised by the Supreme Council of Islamic Affairs of Zimbabwe. <ref>{{Cite web |title=Chamisa angers Palestinians – The Sunday News |url=https://www.sundaynews.co.zw/chamisa-angers-palestinians/amp/ |access-date=2023-08-23 |website=www.sundaynews.co.zw}}</ref>

=== Stance on homosexuality ===
Speaking on the legacy of [[Robert Mugabe]] in an interview with the [[Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation]], Chamisa said Mugabe's views on homosexuality were positive, saying, "We must be able to respect what God ordained and how we are created as a people, there are a male and a female, there are Adam and Eve, not [[Adam and Steve]]".<ref>{{Cite web |title=MDC's Nelson Chamisa speaks on Cde Mugabe's legacy |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q7eqbvO0s08 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200718031839/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q7eqbvO0s08 |archive-date=18 July 2020 |access-date=18 July 2020 |website=Youtube.com}}</ref>

In 2018, responding to a tweet inquiring about his position on LGBT issues in general, Chamisa replied "God created Adam and Eve not Adam and Steve. I thank God for the template!"<ref>{{Cite web |last=Chamisa |first=Nelson |date=January 5, 2018 |title=God created Adam and Eve not Adam and Steve. I thank God for the template! |url=https://twitter.com/nelsonchamisa/status/949181410962702336 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180802124523if_/https://twitter.com/nelsonchamisa/status/949181410962702336 |archive-date=August 2, 2018 |website=Twitter}}</ref>

==See also==
*[[2007 Zimbabwean political crisis]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.zimbabwesituation.com/mdc_aus.html The Zimbabwe Situation]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20140718042240/http://www.sokwanele.com/thisiszimbabwe/archives/527 Nelson Chamisa attacked]

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{{Zimbabwe_government_ministers_2009}}
{{Members of the 8th Parliament of Zimbabwe}}
{{7th Parliament of Zimbabwe}}
{{Members of the 5th Parliament of Zimbabwe}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Chamisa, Nelson}}
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:1978 births]]
[[Category:Citizens Coalition for Change politicians]]
[[Category:People from Masvingo]]
[[Category:Candidates for President of Zimbabwe]]
[[Category:Members of the National Assembly of Zimbabwe]]
[[Category:Movement for Democratic Change – Tsvangirai politicians]]
[[Category:Government ministers of Zimbabwe]]
[[Category:University of Zimbabwe alumni]]
[[Category:21st-century Zimbabwean lawyers]]
[[Category:Zimbabwean Protestant ministers and clergy]]