Chamisa moves to counter Tshabangu

Citizens Coalition for Change leader Nelson Chamisa has penned a letter to the Speaker of the National Assembly, Jacob Mudenda directing him to set aside self-styled ”Interim Secretary General” Sengezo Tshabangu’s letter which purportedly recalled 15 CCC members of parliament.

“Pursuant to our letter dated “11 September 2023” in which I advised you on the communication protocols concerning CCC Members in Parliament, I am writing to confirm that

1.There have not been any changes to the communication protocols outlined in our letter dated 11 September 2023. Changes, if any, will be communicated from this office.

2.Sengezo Tshabangu is not a member of CCC and as such cannot provide, avail or adduce evidence of any such membership as his name does not appear on any of CCC street or village registers of any district, in any province, as administered by the CCC Bureau of Organizing.

3. In the CCC we have no such position as Secretary General or Interim Secretary General as alleged by Tshabangu.

4. As at the present date, none of the Members of Parliament who were elected under the CCC have been expelled from the party I lead or recalled from the National Assembly, or for that matter, from any other elected position in the Senate or any local council,

Hon. Speaker, the conduct of Mr Tshabangu is in fact a wanton violation of our laws and a clear act of criminality. As such, criminal charges have been filed against him. Therefore, please kindly disregard the letter in question or any other correspondence from any other person purporting to represent the CCC.”

In his 11 September letter, Chamisa had told Mudenda that any correspondence regarding any CCC Member of Parliament be directed to him and that any communication or notification concerning any CCC Member of Parliament would come from Chamisa’s office.

Chamisa is determined to avoid a situation similar to that which saw Douglas Mwonzora recalling MDC A MPs. Ominously for CCC, if Tshabangu’s recalls are upheld by Mudenda, there will be by-elections in constituencies where the margins of victory for the opposition were narrow and Zanu PF would be hoping to tilt the scales. These constituencies include Mufakose, Binga North, Bulawayo South, Cowdray Park and Beitbridge West. Moreover, proportional representation candidates would simply be replaced without elections, if Tshabangu’s purported recalls stand.