CITIZENS Coalition for Change (CCC) lawmakers belonging to the two factions led by Jameson Timba and Welshman Ncube yesterday vowed to boycott a planned visit by fellow legislators to President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s farm in Midlands today, which they say has nothing to do with their parliamentary business.
Self-imposed CCC secretary-general Sengezo Tshabangu has been working overtime to whip lawmakers in his camp to visit Mnangagwa’s farm with his spokesperson Nqobizitha Mlilo saying they wanted to build a relationship with the Zanu PF leader.
Tshabangu has previously been accused of being a Zanu-PF proxy after he emerged from nowhere to grab the CCC and gift the ruling party a two-thirds majority through costly by-elections after he had recalled opposition lawmakers.
Precabe Farm has been at the centre of Zanu PF infighting after some ruling party affiliates, who visited the farm were captured on camera chanting slogans in support of plans to extend Mnangagwa’s term of office beyond 2028.
Mnangagwa’s loyalists have been in the forefront in a push to have his term extended to 2030 despite serious resistance within Zanu PF structures and among war veterans.
The president had previously said he was not interested in staying beyond 2028 as he wanted to retire.
Critics have cast doubts on his sincerity, saying he has failed to stop his loyalists from ploughing ahead with the 2030 agenda plot.
Willias Madzimure, spokesperson of the Ncube-led CCC, said it was worrying that lawmakers were now being dragged into Zanu PFs factional wars over the 2030 agenda.
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"We discourage our MPs from attending the event. They are being sucked into Zanu PF fights. Everyone knows why people are going to Precabe Farm," Madzimure said.
He said the planned farm visit was not Parliament business.
“We should have gotten the formal invitation from the speaker of Parliament just like what happens on other events,” Madzimure said.
“But on this one, the invitation came through Tshabangu. He is the one who got the invitation.
“This is despite the fact that the government knows that Welsham Ncube is the leader of the CCC that has representatives in Parliament.
“So they should have sent that invitation to him or even to our vice President Mai Kore who is in Parliament.”
He also said the agenda for the farm visit was not clear, but indications were that it was a political gathering.
“So that is how it confuses everything. Even so, there should be an agenda for that visit, but many details are not there,” Madzimure said.
“It is, however, folly to gather and make merry at a time we have more pressing needs as a country that needs money.”
A lawmaker from Timba’s camp Clifford Hlatwayo said they will also boycott the event.
“Our MPs will be having their own field days in their respective constituencies. They won't go to Precabe,” Hlatwayo said.
“What is there to celebrate at Mnangagwa's farm when the nation is facing a hunger crisis?
“So we will rather be with the people than with an individual.”
Critics say the Precab visits are a reminder of the last days in office of the late president Robert Mugabe when his loyalists were commandeered to his Mazowe farm.
Ncube and Timba have filed a joint bid to take back the CCC from Tshabangu and also stop him from redeploying CCC leaders in Parliament.
Last week, a High Court judge reserved judgement on the case.
