In 2018, Chamisa was a close second in a disputed poll, with 45.07%, to Zanu-PF's Emmerson Mnangagwa with 51.44%.

This was the first post-Morgan Tsvangirai vs Robert Mugabe duel, which had dominated the country since the turn of the century.

With Mugabe openly supporting Chamisa, after the November 2017 coup by Mnangagwa and the army, the election saw record votes for both sides.

This time, Chamisa is more focused on stopping Mnangagwa from seeking a second and last term.

"We are a presidential republic, and our campaign is going to be basically a presidential campaign.

"Our focus is not even Parliament. We have been in Parliament for a long time, but that is not our station of choice at the moment. Our station of choice is government," he said.

With an element of confidence, he added: "Mnangagwa is a courageous man, but decency must teach him that he should hand over to the next government."

In 2018, Zanu-PF had more than a two-thirds majority in Parliament. That presented an easy avenue for it to push for legislation, some of it an onslaught on the opposition and democracy.

Methembe Hadebe, a Zimbabwean historian and biographer of politicians, said for Chamisa to ignore Parliament was a bad strategy.

"If he wins the presidency, and he's without a sound following in Parliament, he can be impeached as soon as possible. It's the same for Mnangagwa; if he has no huge following in Parliament, if he wins, Zanu-PF might struggle to get away with what it enjoyed in this current Parliament.

"The parliamentary election should be more important than the presidency, to be honest, because it's about collective work, not individual glory," he said.

New-look party

The CCC  presented a new line-up of candidates, with numerous opposition veterans reassigned to the senate and local authorities.

The CCC has its roots in the Movement for Democratic Change, which was formed in 1999.

The MDC, under the leadership of the late Tsvangirai, drew its members from workers' union groups, student politics and civic society.

Twenty-four years later, after numerous splits, some of the key founding members are with the CCC.

They are Professor Welshman Ncube, David Coltart, Tendai Biti, Chamisa, Henry Madzorera, Job Sikhala, Innocent Gonese and Daniel Fortune Molokele, to mention a few.

Critics call it a secret society.

Besides Chamisa, Fadzayi Mahere, the spokesperson, her deputy, Gift Ostallos Siziba, and Amos Chibaya, the party's organising secretary, there are no other set positions.