Political Reporter

The Sengezo Tshabangu faction and the Maruva cabal within the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) have reportedly joined forces to address the ongoing internal challenges faced by that party, allegedly stemming from that party leader, Nelson Chamisa’s poor leadership skills.

According to a confidential source, a clandestine meeting was held on January 20, 2024 in Bulawayo, where key CCC figures convened to deliberate on that party's future.

The meeting, attended by influential CCC members including Charlton Hwende, Sengezo Tshabangu, Kucaca Phulu, Bulawayo Mayor, David Coltart, Happymore Chidziva, and Lynnette Karenyi Kore, was focused on finding solutions to the internal strife threatening to destabilise the CCC.

During the closed-door meeting, Ncube reportedly emphasised the urgency of addressing the internal conflicts within the CCC, proposing a return to the 2019 MDC Alliance congress structures to restore order and unity.

The source disclosed Ncube's sentiment that the current state of the CCC, marked by internal disagreements and ineffective leadership under Chamisa, was unsustainable.

"Ncube made it clear that CCC was going nowhere with the current squabbles and the inept leadership of Chamisa. He suggested that CCC should revert back to the 2019 MDC Alliance Congress structures to avoid the current confusion," the source revealed.

Ncube further recommended a leadership reshuffle, proposing that Tshabangu relinquish the position of Secretary-General to Charlton Hwende.

However, Tshabangu expressed his willingness to step down on the condition that he gets another high-ranking position and granted the authority to appoint ten members of his choosing to the National Executive Council (NEC).

The source highlighted that the meeting resolved to utilise Hwende's social media platforms to communicate to CCC members that the 2019 MDC Alliance congress-elected leadership had taken charge, actively working to rectify that party's perceived missteps.

"In that meeting, it was resolved that Hwende should start using his social media handles to inform CCC members that the leadership that was elected at the 2019 MDC Alliance Congress has taken over the party and is in the process of correcting the mistakes done in the party," the source stated.

Furthermore, the meeting reportedly proposed Lynnette Karenyi Kore to replace the recalled Amos Chibaya as the leader of the opposition in parliament.

Additionally, Ncube was tasked with engaging Chamisa in an effort to unite the party, despite concerns over Chamisa's reluctance to collaborate.

The source also noted the meeting's concerns about Chamisa being influenced by younger members within the party, potentially affecting his decision-making prowess.

Despite attempts to reach out for comment, Ncube's phone went unanswered, and Hwende cited being in a meeting.

As the CCC grapples with internal discord, this unexpected alliance seeks to navigate the challenges and steer that party back on course, placing a spotlight on the growing tension within its ranks.