Chamisa loyalists in bruising fight with Tshabangu over CCC carcass

By Staff Reporter
Some loyalists to main opposition leader Nelson Chamisa are engaged in a bruising fight with self-appointed CCC interim Secretary General Sengezo Tshabangu over the carcass of the main opposition CCC.
Until last week Chamisa was the leader of the CCC before he left the main opposition in a huff accusing the governing Zanu-PF of high-jacking the party.
Since then, speculation has been rife that the youthful opposition leader was going to form a new political party-statements he has denied.
While Tshabangu who has been ceaselessly recalling opposition party deployees in both councils, parliament and senate with reckless abandon has effectively taken control of the opposition party-some Chamisa loyalists have chosen to stay and fight.
Tshabangu said the opposition outfit is being run by a steering committee which has reverted to the then 2019 opposition MDC Alliance’s structure which were constituted after the Gweru congress.
“Following President Chamisa’s statement, the Party leadership elected at the Gweru Congress convened an emergency meeting to consider both the contents of President Chamisa’s statement, and its immediate implications,”
Tshabangu added that until his resignation Chamisa’s leadership and the party’s presidency, “has never been in dispute or contestation,” before he added that one of the resolution’s from the meeting was that “power and authority will collectively reside in the national leadership elected at the Gweru national Congress.”
This notwithstanding, the fact that Tshabangu did not hold any executive post after the congress.
Chamisa’s then CCC National Spokesperson Promise Mkwananzi has hit back at Tshabangu describing him as, “unknown.”
“Citizens Coalition for Change refutes a statement purportedly issued on its behalf on the 28th of January 2024 by unknown people claiming to be a Standing Commitee. CCC was formed on the 24th of January 2022 and only celebrated its 2nd anniversary a few days ago. The party did not exist in 2019 and does not have a structure known as the standing Commitee. The party is yet to conduct its inaugural congress,” said Mkwananzi.
Mkwananzi added that CCC decisions are taken by its supreme decision-making body, the Citizens National Assembly (CNA) assisted by the Provincial Taskforces and District Clusters.
He encouraged CCC parliamentarians and councillors to continue with their duties.
“CCC deployees in parliament and local authorities, activists, members, local leaders, supporters and members of the public are urged to remain patient until formal communication regarding the way forward is made and confirmed to be authentic.
“Kindly disregard any statement purporting to be from CCC which does not appear on the official social media handles of the party,” he said.
The aftermath of Chamisa’s resignation has created uncertainity within opposition MPs and councillors.
Some MPs have threatened to withdraw from parliament.
While Mount Pleasant Parliamentarian Fadzai Mahere officially tendered her resignation to the parliamentary speaker Jacob Mudenda.
“I confirm that I was sworn in as the Member of Parliament for Mt Pleasant Constituency on the 7th of September 2023 under the Citizens’ Coalition for Change political party. I hereby tender written notice of my resignation from Parliament with immediate effect in accordance with section 129 (1)(b)of the Constitution of Zimbabwe,” said Mahere who has since pledged Chamisa allegiance.
Ironically both CCC factions are using the party Logo with Chamisa’s face.