BETWEEN a rock and hard place is where the Nelson Chamisa-led Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) is after the High Court dealt the opposition party a body blow ahead of next month’s by-elections.
High Court judge Justice Munamato Mutevedzi ruled that anyone could recall CCC legislators from Parliament in a major victory for self-proclaimed CCC interim secretary-general Sengezo Tshabangu.
The 14 legislators recalled by Tshabangu had approached the court seeking relief as turbulence hits the opposition formation.
The landmark ruling could embolden Tshabangu to recall more lawmakers, thus creating panic in the opposition formation.
The ruling alone makes him shoo-in to receive the windfall from government under the Political Parties (Finance) Act.
It would be the second time that Chamisa toiled for nothing after losing the windfall following the 2018 elections.
Critics say the turbulence was inevitable in a party without structures and a constitution and where power is concentrated in one man.
As the party introspects, it is clear it failed to jealously guard its victory in the August 23 and 24 elections.
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As soul-searching begins, the party must look itself in the mirror and see whether it put its all into guarding its victory from predators.
For neutrals, there are some questions that need answers.
How can a party full of lawyers fail to shield itself and safeguard its victory from predators?
Did the party not see this coming, especially, after the disputed primary elections in which a Stone Age selection process was used?
If the party knew that Zanu PF wanted a two-thirds majority, what measures did it put in place to avoid handing the ruling party that advantage on a silver platter?
These are the questions the CCC must answer as the spectre of more recalls looms.
The CCC must act fast before it is decimated by the recalls.
For party leader Chamisa, he must show leadership, take the blame, and declare that the sad episode will not recur.
He cannot continue blaming imaginary plotters.
The Nomination Court sits tomorrow ahead of the by-elections on December 9.
Will CCC field candidates in the by-election?
If so, will their papers be acceptable, especially after Tshabangu wrote to the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission advising that there are only three signatories and Chamisa was not among them.
Another option is to form a new party that will contest the by-elections and then allow those that remain in CCC to resign and trigger another by-election.
The party can also pull out of Parliament and local authorities. All these options require cost benefit analyses.
The millions of CCC supporters that invested emotionally in the party are looking up to the leadership for direction with time running out.
They want solutions and not being bombarded with Bible verses.
