Tshabangu Strikes Again, Recalls Harare Mayor Ian Makone, Deputy, 7 More Councillors
Self-proclaimed CCC interim secretary general Sengezo Tshabangu has ordered the recall on Harare mayor Ian Makone, his deputy Kudzai Kadzombe and seven other city councillors.
ZimLive reported that the fresh round of expulsions threatens to throw the country’s main opposition into complete disarray and puts renewed pressure on CCC leader Nelson Chamisa to act decisively to prevent the party from disintegrating.
Tshabangu sent a letter to Local Government Minister Winston Chitando, dated 7 November 2023 saying the targeted councillors “have ceased to be members of the Citizens Coalition for Change”. He wrote:
Kindly be advised that the following councillors were under Citizens Coalition for Change political party and have ceased to be members of the Citizens Coalition for Change.
The councillors listed by Tshabangu include Makone (Ward 18) Kadzombe (Ward 41), Denford Ngadziore (Ward 16), Lovejoy Chitegu (Ward 36) and Samuel Gwenzi (Ward 5).
Added to the list were PR Councillors Chido Hamauswa, Tariboyi Sabina, Florence Cheza and Fadzai Matimba.
The recalls follow the recent expulsion of 14 party MPs and councillors in different parts of the country by the hitherto little-known CCC activist.
Tshabangu argues that the targeted CCC representatives were imposed by party leader Nelson Chamisa during the party’s controversial candidate selection process in the run-up to the 23 August 2023 Harmonised Elections.
Some political observers say Chamisa used the novel community consensus candidate selection process instead of the traditional primary elections to eliminate some party adversaries in place of loyalists in their positions.
However, other commentators are of the view that the recalls are an attempt by President Emmerson Mnangagwa to cripple the opposition and create a defacto one-party-state.
More: Pindula News
