Turmoil in opposition CCC: Tshabangu fires Chamisa...

Turmoil in opposition CCC: Tshabangu fires Chamisa?

… claims he has been replaced by Welshman Ncube and Tendai Biti

Zim Now Writer

As the chaos and drama in the opposition the Citizens Coalition for Change deepens, Sengezo Tshabangu, who has branded himself interim secretary-general, claims the party has fired leader Nelson Chamisa over a slew of allegations around embezzlement of funds, personalisation of party property as well as imposition of candidates in the August 23 Harmonised Elections.

This comes as Tshabangu wrote to the Speaker Parliament, recalling 15 CCC members of the National Assembly as well as senators and councilors. Mudenda has already notified the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission of vacancies in the constituencies represented by the legislators.

In a statement released today, Tshabangu says he has replaced Chamisa with Professor Welshman Ncube and Tendai Biti as acting presidents until the party convenes an extra-ordinary congress.

https://zimbabwenow.co.zw/articles/6593/breaking-mudenda-expels-15-ccc-mps

“With immediate effect, Advocate Nelson Chamisa has been expelled from the Citizens Coalition for Change. Nelson Chamisa has been expelled for personalising the party as well as his continued gross disregard of the party constitution amongst other issues, including: Embezzlement of party funds. Last year a total of US$120 000 was raised for Advocate Nelson Chamisa’s bullet proof car and the money disappeared,” redas the statement in part.

Tshabangu added that the CCC received US$300 000 last month from partner international organisations for Job Sikhala’s legal fees and the money also disappeared.

“The party also received some US$6 million, part of the money was to fund the training, deployment and payment of election agents. The money disappeared and the party couldn’t deploy agents at all polling stations and to this day, not even 1 from the recruited 55 000 agents has been paid,” wrote Tshabangu, adding that US$3 million disappeared from the party’s offshore accounts with no explanation given for this.

Tshabangu also said all official communication will be coming from the interim secretary general’s office.

“We therefore advise citizens to ignore all distractions by individuals working to derail the citizens’ movement. With Immediate effect, Professor Welshman Ncube and Advocate Tendai Biti are acting presidents until the party convenes an extraordinary congress on the dates to be advised and all official communication will be coming from the interim secretary general’s office.”

Biti has denied any assiciation with the goings-on. “I am not the President of any political party. I refuse to be drawn in this mess. May my privacy and dignity be respected. # Asifuni ubumbulu,” he wrote on X.

Chamisa also stands accused of personalising party property and collaboration with current and former Zanu PF members, which the statement says led to heavy infiltration.

“The party symbol is his face, he takes all crucial decisions by himself and now the party is serving his personal interests, we cannot allow that. … Tarnishing the image of the party through stage managing abductions and through inciting public violence in the name of the party. Imposition of candidates, resulting in the loss of some constituencies and wards throughout the country,” the statement also alleges.

The party symbol bears Chamisa’s face and reports say the logo was recently registered with the Zimbabwe Intellectual Property Trade Mark office and with the Registrar of Deeds in Harare barring anyone form using his face, the words Citizens Coalition for Change and CCC elements combined.

Chamisa, the statement also charges, failed to petition Sadc, the United Nations and the European Union over “the stolen August 23 election”. The CCC leader, who got 44% of the vote, lost to President Emmerson Mnangagwa of Zanu PF who got 52.6% of the vote.

Chamisa rejected the results, alleging the election had been rigged. Ironically, he had indicated well before the polls that he would not accept any result in which he was the loser.