Political Reporter
The Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) leader, Nelson Chamisa has urged his supporters to destroy ZANU PF-linked businesses as a way of retaliating whenever they are attacked.
A source who spoke to this publication said Chamisa held a meeting last week with CCC Harare by-elections candidates where that party’s Kuwadzana by-election candidate, Johnson Matambo, alleged that they were being attacked and their campaigns were being disrupted by ZANU PF members.
In response to Matambo’s allegations, Chamisa told the candidates that gone were the days when they would be attacked in silence like a sacrificial lamb. He added that members especially the youths must not be weaklings all the time, but must also retaliate.
“You must match ZANU PF pound for pound. Gone are the days when we complained of ZANU PF’s brutality. This time we must attack and destroy all known ZANU PF members. We should also destroy their businesses so that we can send a signal to them that CCC is a party that cannot be taken for granted,” Chamisa was quoted as saying.
Chamisa further said that in the event that CCC stages demonstrations, the youth should loot all businesses owned by ZANU PF members and those linked to it. He reasoned that they were the ones oiling the Party and needed to be financially crippled.
In the same meeting, Chamisa told CCC candidates that they should use social media to portray ZANU PF as a violent and intolerant party that was bent on destroying the opposition.
Meanwhile, political analyst Terrence Chipwanya said Chamisa’s penchant for violence is shocking as it will disrupt the prevailing peace.
“It’s worrying to hear Chamisa urging his members to resort to violence. As a political leader and a pastor, we expect him to preach peace and tolerance. Violence will plunge the country into chaos and we don’t want that as a country,” said Chipwanya.
During CCC inaugural rally in Highfield last month, Chamisa also urged his members to violently retaliate against ZANU PF’s alleged brutality and make the country ungovernable.
