A BITTER power struggle within the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) has reached boiling point, with self-imposed interim secretary-general Sengezo Tshabangu and party leader Welshman Ncube declaring their relationship “irreconcilable”.
The two leaders have been locked in a heated dispute over control of the party, with Tshabangu’s recent reshuffle of parliamentary committee chairpersons sparking intense criticism from Ncube and his allies.
The situation further worsened when Tshabangu ordered CCC legislators to visit President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s Precabe Farmin Kwekwe, Midlands province.
The Precabe Farm visit was met with mixed feelings, with some CCC activists refusing to dine with Zanu PF.
Both Tshabangu and Ncube have dug in, each claiming the other is to blame for the impasse.
The CCC’s internal conflicts have been simmering for months since the resignation of former party leader Nelson Chamisa in January last year.
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In a recent move, Tshabangu appointed members to the party’s local government caucus, but the Ncube faction declared the appointment null and void.
The Ncube-led faction has threatened to take action against Tshabangu for making unilateral decisions in the party.
But Tshabangu scoffed at the threats.
“There is a difference between a threat and a promise,” Tshabangu’s spokesperson, Nqobizitha Mlilo, said.
“It’s only time, we will figure out which is which. Senator Tshabangu will then respond as will be necessary, with consummate measure. For now, Senator Tshabangu remains focused on the national task at hand, nation-building and national consensus building.”
Mlilo said Tshabangu was ready for the Ncube-led faction.
“So long whatever action is taken is done within the framework of the constitution of the party, the action taken will be answered comprehensively, verse and chapter,” he said.
Tshabangu recently told NewsDay that they had made efforts to find each other with Ncube.
Yesterday, Mlilo indicated that the relationship had become irreconcilable.
“It happens,” he said curtly.
Ncube-led CCC spokesperson Willias Madzimure said the party was still consulting within its organs on how best to deal with Tshabangu.
“We are in the process of reaching a decision,” he said.
“We rely on the organs of the party to make decisions. Party organs will finalise how we are going to deal with matters.”
He said Ncube’s relations with Tshabangu had irretrievably broken down.
“It’s difficult to try to amicably solve issues when someone continues to err and making unilateral decisions,” he said.
“So I don’t think it’s possible. From the time we made that decision (to reconcile) until today, we should have found each other, but it seems it’s now difficult, especially when dealing with an individual.”
Madzimure also said the party differed with Tshabangu on his approach in dealing with the problems affecting the electorate.
“If you look at the planned Precabe Farm tour, it’s purely a Zanu PF programme. Where do we get in there and you wonder why someone would rally opposition legislators and senators to attend.”