Infighting rocks CCC in Hwange Central

Sibongile Dube 

A cloud of uncertainty is hovering over the Citizen Coalition for Change (CCC) in Hwange Central Constituency  as the sitting Member of Parliament Daniel Molokele battles internal revolt amid fears that the internecine feuding could divide CCC votes in favour of Zanu PF in the Wednesday harmonised elections.

The infighting reportedly stems from an inconclusive candidate selection process that caused some disgruntled party members to abandon ship citing a lack of transparency

Molokele’s challenger in the party’s candidate selection process, Cosmas Kaboloma Ndlovu who switched to independent candidacy for the Hwange Central Constituency House of Assembly seat claims that the candidate selection process was not decisive.

“The Candidate selection process of the CCC was not conclusive. We were all told to go to the nomination court with our nomination fees. We went to the nomination court on the 21st of Junein the dark about who the successful candidates were for both council and House of Assembly.  After waiting in Lupane until a few minutes before 4 PM, I made the decision to file my papers as an independent candidate. I felt the need to represent people genuinely. Hwange people need that.”

“Up to now no one really knows who won, and no announcement was officially made to Hwange CCC members about Molokele’s purported victory  in the selection process. I am supporting Chamisa for President, even my posters have Chamisa as President,” Ndlovu said.

When it was put to Ndlovu that his decision to stand as an independent could benefit Zanu PF through a split opposition vote, he maintained that he is saving the seat from the ruling party.

“I will not divide CCC votes in favour of Zanu PF. The people of Hwange are tired of Molokele’s tactics. Some CCC supporters have vowed that they would rather vote Zanu PF than Molokele, hence my decision to contest as an independent candidate is to save Hwange from falling to Zanu PF, after all my President is Chamisa,”he said.

Molokele”s critics claim that, just like his predecessor Brian Tshuma, Molokele is a largely absent, inaccessible MP. “The sitting MP has disappointed us as he seems to be available only on his social media networks, but  is unavailable on the ground. He refers everything to his Personal Assistant whenever we call for his attention. Hwange needs someone who is from Hwange and  is ready to run when we call him, a person who is able to relate with our day to day lives” said Michael Mudenda a Hwange resident.

There are also claims that Molokele is not originally from Hwange, an allegation which he is on record denying.

In a widely circulated WhatsApp message, the office of the MP has threatened party members who registered as independent candidates but claim to be  supporting Chamisa for the presidency with expulsion.

“It was unanimously agreed that the CCC Hwange Central Constituency must recommend for the official expulsion with immediate effect from the CCC all our members who have defied the outcome of our internal candidates selection process and registered with ZEC as independent candidates for the 23rd August 2023 elections.

It was also unanimously agreed that we will now start to openly publish in all our Whatsapp chat groups, all our members who are openly campaigning for an independent candidate or any other political party,” read the messages.

Efforts to get a comment from Molokele proved futile as he was unreachable on his mobile phone.

For the past 23 years Hwange District has been dominated by the opposition. In 2018, Reeds Dube of Zanu PF (5 063 votes) lost to Molokele (15 702 votes) who was representing the MDC Alliance in Hwange Central. ZANU-PF candidate for Hwange East Fati Mpofu managed to garner 4 972 votes but lost out to Tose Siansole of the MDC-A who secured 8 648 votes. In Hwange West Godfrey Dube of MDC-A who polled 11 500 votes defeated Zanu PF’s Nkosilathi Jiyane who managed 7 423 votes. It remains to be seen whether the internal ructions in the CCC could lead to Zanu PF grabbing a seat in Hwange for the first time in more than two decades.