THE Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) party is imploding as the party’s old guard fights self-imposed interim secretary-general Sengezo Tshabangu’s grand plan to take full control of the opposition party.
Tshabangu snatched the CCC from its founding leader Nelson Chamisa after he emerged from nowhere to declare himself its interim secretary-general.
Chamisa, who formed the CCC in January 2022, was forced to quit the party in January this year after being frustrated and failing to have full control.
In April this year, Welshman Ncube, Tendai Biti and Lynette Karenyi-Kore were announced as rotating acting presidents, with the party saying it was reverting to 2019 structures.
Tshabangu has, however, received legal advice from his lawyers instructing him to wrest full control of the party from the acting presidents.
This has triggered a fierce fight amid claims that the discord in the CCC was also centred on the US$1,6 million that Tshabangu received from Treasury recently under the Political Parties (Finance) Act.
CCC spokesperson Willias Madzimure said they would resist Tshabangu’s attempt to hijack the party.
“We want to assure our members and supporters that there is no crisis within the CCC,” he said.
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“We reject the delusional and self-serving legal opinions from individuals outside our party structures.
“These opinions do not and never have constituted our leadership or its authority.
“The CCC is united and focused on the challenges ahead and we will continue to work diligently for the interests of our constituents.”
Tshabangu’s spokesperson Khaliphani Phugeni said the self-styled interim secretary-general received sound advice to take full control of the party.
“The legal opinion expressly deals with interpretation of the party constitution. Some office bearers’ offices have expired by way of operation of law (party constitution) and there is need for the party to operate within the confines of the law and constitution,” Phugeni said.
“Anyone with a different opinion is welcome to place it on record and it shall be interrogated.
“According to the legal opinion, he [Tshabangu] is the only one with a valid mandate to organise the party towards the next congress.”
Former CCC spokesperson Nqobizitha Mlilo admitted that the party was in a constitutional crisis.
“We are sitting with a potential constitutional crisis, which says that the party has failed to hold its congress as mandatorily required by the party constitution,” Mlilo said.
“So what is needed now is to find a way of solving the constitutional crisis that we have so that we return this party to constitutionality, we return this party to legality.”
The opposition last held its congress in May 2019.
Its constitution says congress should be held every five years.
NewsDay is reliably informed that some high-profile members of the CCC are contemplating joining the ruling Zanu PF party.
The defections are said to be driven by growing disillusionment within the CCC ranks as the opposition party grapples with internal divisions and a perceived lack of direction.
Yesterday, former Gutu Central legislator Oliver Chirume (CCC) crossed the floor to Zanu PF, and former Zanu PF politburo member Dzikamai Mavhaire re-joined the ruling party.
Speaking to the media after a closed-door meeting with President Emmerson Mnangagwa at State House, Chirume expressed admiration for the ruling party.
“I was convinced by Lovemore Matuke [Zanu PF security secretary] to join Zanu PF so that we all work for the development of the country,” he said.
“I once contested against my brother, Cde Lovemore Matuke, but I saw it fit to join the party that is doing well in developing Zimbabwe.”
