Staff reporter
A storm is brewing at Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) as that party leader, Nelson Chamisa’s lieutenants grapple to defend his candidates selection strategy ahead of the 2023 harmonized general elections.
As the polls inch closer, the heat continues to rise on Chamisa to lay out a plan to choose candidates that will represent his party. Chamisa is on record announcing that his party would not hold an elective congress for the process.
Indications on the ground are that CCC sitting parliamentarians are already campaigning before Chamisa unilaterally pin points his desired candidates.
In that regard, CCC Organizing Task Force Champion, Amos CHIBAYA, issued an internal memorandum on the 1st of March 2023 urging aspiring candidates to desist from campaigning. According to the memo which was leaked on WhatsApp group, Chibaya directed them to focus on that party’s voter mobilization exercise, Mugwazo.
Information gleaned by this publication shows that the delay in candidate selection is causing a lot of uncertainty amongst the aspiring candidates. CCC Co-Vice President, Professor Welshman Ncube, is said have already started imposing candidates of choice ahead of Chamisa.
As such tensions continue to rise at CCC amid reports that Chamisa has handpicked his preferred candidates in Harare.
Recently there was pressure from the diplomatic community over revelations that CCC would not be holding an elective congress. The indications were deemed undemocratic and authoritarian by onlookers who think Chamisa is all about forming one center of power at the CCC.
The move by Chamisa is inspired by the alleged need to dribble past ZANU PF’s perceived desire to influence candidates selection at that party. However, the move has seen Chamisa accused of seeing shadows and infringing on traditional democratic practises along the way.
