Cracks emerge in CCC 

Source: Cracks emerge in CCC – The Zimbabwe Independent

SILAS NKALA
CRACKS are emerging in the Citizens’ Coalition for Change (CCC) amid allegations of imposition of candidates in Bulawayo and Masvingo provinces which are threatening to rip apart the recently rebranded political outfit.

CCC, led by Nelson Chamisa, is on the cusp of a crisis as controversy surrounds the signing of nomination papers for the two provinces. The issues if left unresolved, insiders fear, will result in the party losing the upcoming by-elections.

Two members of the party’s presidium, Welshman Ncube and Lynnette Karenyi-Kore were reportedly tasked to lead teams in the selection of candidates to contest council by-elections on March 26 in Bulawayo and Masvingo respectively as well as signing nomination papers.

However, CCC secretary-general Charlton Hwende and deputy national chairman Job Sikhala also allegedly signed nomination letters for other candidates creating double candidates in some wards in Bulawayo and Masvingo.

Party officials who spoke to the Zimbabwe Independent strongly believe this was a ploy to undo what was done by Ncube and Karenyi-Kore. In Bulawayo, two wards had two CCC candidates nominated following the double signing by the party’s leadership.

In Ward 9, two candidates who were nominated are Bekithemba Nyathi, the former Mpopoma Pelandaba legislator, and Donaldson Mabutho, a former councillor who was recalled by MDC-T led by Douglass Mwonzora.

Indications are that Ncube had signed for Nyathi while Hwende and Sikhala signed for Mabutho.

Nyathi, however, withdrew his candidature in the interest of the party but insiders say lower party structures are not amused by the issue which may culminate in Mabutho losing the by-election.

Mabutho and a senior provincial party official Tendai Masotsha were suspended from MDC Alliance party in 2020 for allegedly working with Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO) officers in the abduction of National University of Science and Technology (Nust) student Tawanda Muchehiwa by suspected state security agents.

Ward 26 in Bulawayo is also facing the double candidates’ fiasco following the controversial signing of nomination papers by the party leadership.

Hwende and Sikhala are accused of signing nomination papers for former councillor Norman Hlabano while Ncube reportedly signed for Mpumelelo Moyo whom members of the community prefer ahead of Hlabano.

Current councillors including those who were recalled are facing a backlash from residents over issues of poor service delivery in Bulawayo.

There are growing calls for CCC to consider local people in leadership amid revelations that some of the current councillors are not from Bulawayo and are not in sync with the concerns of the people.

In Masvingo, double candidates were recorded in Masvingo Urban Ward 4, where Thokozile Muchuchuti and Aleck Tabe filed nomination papers on January 26, 2022.

A stand-off between the two camps has however ensued and the party leadership seems out of depth to address the contestation.

Chamisa is on record saying double candidates in the two provinces were a result of a technical glitch for any new party.

Party insiders in Bulawayo say Hwende and Sikhala were allegedly against Ncube on candidate’s selection. The conflict on candidate’s selection is slowly turning tribal.

“They signed papers for Hlabano and Mabutho, who were not approved by supporters. Mabutho is on suspension for working with CIO.

“Because he is related to Sikhala, his papers were signed. Mabutho and Masocha were suspended for allegedly working with CIO and before their cases were heard Mabutho emerged as a candidate,” the insider said.

“Masocha, the provincial chairperson, should come back as well. For the record Chamisa is against this tribal onslaught in Bulawayo. President Chamisa has the support in Matabeleland but his sidekicks might make him the Moses of this generation instead of Joshua. 2023 he should be at State House provided he listens to the people of Matabeleland.”

The insider said Chamisa knows of Hlabano, Mabutho and Tinashe Kambarami’s unpopularity among residents.

“Chamisa is the one who should sort out the confusion and not the perpetrators. The issue of double candidates should be sorted by Chamisa himself, not (national organiser Amos) Chibaya, not Hwende, not Ncube.

“Chamisa has the crown bestowed on him but he seems to be assisting the demons in removing it from his head. 2023 he must be crowned provided he accepts the crown. The ball is entirely in his court,” the insider said

On Saturday last week, the launch of the campaign for CCC candidates at ward 26 in Bulawayo flopped as both candidates Hlabano and Moyo had organised the event prompting a near fistfight between the two camps.

Both events had to be postponed as the party was looking at finding means of addressing the crisis which saw both candidates refusing to step down.

While Hwende recently announced that Moyo had withdrawn his candidature, Moyo on the ground dismissed the claim saying that Hlabano who was rejected by the people must instead step down.

Hwende declined to comment and referred the Independent to CCC deputy spokesperson Gift Ostallos Siziba.

“On that, just call Ostallos, it’s a party issue and as a spokesperson he should be able to talk on behalf of members,” Hwende said.

Efforts to get a comment from Siziba were fruitless while Sikhala declined phone calls.

Contacted for comment, Ncube said focusing on a way forward was critical.

“What is important in this matter is the way forward unless you want to go back.  The party has directed that the two candidates in ward 26 who were nominated are subjected to a selection process by members and structures and this will be done this Friday, to choose who among the two should represent the party in ward 26 in the by-elections,” Ncube said.

 CCC, led by Nelson Chamisa, is on the cusp of a crisis as controversy surrounds the signing of nomination papers for the two provinces.

The issues if left unresolved, insiders fear, will result in the party losing the upcoming by-elections.

Two members of the party’s presidium, Welshman Ncube and Lynnette Karenyi-Kore were reportedly tasked to lead teams in the selection of candidates to contest council by-elections on March 26 in Bulawayo and Masvingo respectively as well as signing nomination papers.

However, CCC secretary-general Charlton Hwende and deputy national chairman Job Sikhala also allegedly signed nomination letters for other candidates creating double candidates in some wards in Bulawayo and Masvingo.

Party officials who spoke to the Zimbabwe Independent strongly believe this was a ploy to undo what was done by Ncube and Karenyi-Kore.

In Bulawayo, two wards had two CCC candidates nominated following the double signing by the party’s leadership.

In Ward 9, two candidates who were nominated are Bekithemba Nyathi, the former Mpopoma Pelandaba legislator, and Donaldson Mabutho, a former councillor who was recalled by MDC-T led by Douglass Mwonzora.

Indications are that Ncube had signed for Nyathi while Hwende and Sikhala signed for Mabutho.

Nyathi, however, withdrew his candidature in the interest of the party but insiders say lower party structures are not amused by the issue which may culminate in Mabutho losing the by-election.

Mabutho and a senior provincial party official Tendai Masotsha were suspended from MDC Alliance party in 2020 for allegedly working with Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO) officers in the abduction of National University of Science and Technology (Nust) student Tawanda Muchehiwa by suspected state security agents.

Ward 26 in Bulawayo is also facing the double candidates’ fiasco following the controversial signing of nomination papers by the party leadership.

Hwende and Sikhala are accused of signing nomination papers for former councillor Norman Hlabano while Ncube reportedly signed for Mpumelelo Moyo whom members of the community prefer ahead of Hlabano.

Current councillors including those who were recalled are facing a backlash from residents over issues of poor service delivery in Bulawayo.

There are growing calls for CCC to consider local people in leadership amid revelations that some of the current councillors are not from Bulawayo and are not in sync with the concerns of the people.

In Masvingo, double candidates were recorded in Masvingo Urban Ward 4, where Thokozile Muchuchuti and Aleck Tabe filed nomination papers on January 26, 2022.

A stand-off between the two camps has however ensued and the party leadership seems out of depth to address the contestation.

Chamisa is on record saying double candidates in the two provinces were a result of a technical glitch for any new party.

Party insiders in Bulawayo say Hwende and Sikhala were allegedly against Ncube on candidate’s selection.

The conflict on candidate’s selection is slowly turning tribal.

“They signed papers for Hlabano and Mabutho, who were not approved by supporters. Mabutho is on suspension for working with CIO.

“Because he is related to Sikhala, his papers were signed. Mabutho and Masocha were suspended for allegedly working with CIO and before their cases were heard Mabutho emerged as a candidate,” the insider said.

“Masocha, the provincial chairperson, should come back as well. For the record Chamisa is against this tribal onslaught in Bulawayo.

President Chamisa has the support in Matabeleland but his sidekicks might make him the Moses of this generation instead of Joshua. 2023 he should be at State House provided he listens to the people of Matabeleland.”

The insider said Chamisa knows of Hlabano, Mabutho and Tinashe Kambarami’s unpopularity among residents.

“Chamisa is the one who should sort out the confusion and not the perpetrators.

The issue of double candidates should be sorted by Chamisa himself, not (national organiser Amos) Chibaya, not Hwende, not Ncube.

“Chamisa has the crown bestowed on him but he seems to be assisting the demons in removing it from his head.

2023 he must be crowned provided he accepts the crown.

The ball is entirely in his court,” the insider said

On Saturday last week, the launch of the campaign for CCC candidates at ward 26 in Bulawayo flopped as both candidates Hlabano and Moyo had organised the event prompting a near fistfight between the two camps.

Both events had to be postponed as the party was looking at finding means of addressing the crisis which saw both candidates refusing to step down.

While Hwende recently announced that Moyo had withdrawn his candidature, Moyo on the ground dismissed the claim saying that Hlabano who was rejected by the people must instead step down.

Hwende declined to comment and referred the Independent to CCC deputy spokesperson Gift Ostallos Siziba.

“On that, just call Ostallos, it’s a party issue and as a spokesperson he should be able to talk on behalf of members,” Hwende said.

Efforts to get a comment from Siziba were fruitless while Sikhala declined phone calls.

Contacted for comment, Ncube said focusing on a way forward was critical.

“What is important in this matter is the way forward unless you want to go back.

The party has directed that the two candidates in ward 26 who were nominated are subjected to a selection process by members and structures and this will be done this Friday, to choose who among the two should represent the party in ward 26 in the by-elections,” Ncube said.