Political Reporter

Political life of the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) interim secretary general Charlton Hwende is hanging by the thread following his assertion that Ian Smith was a tyranny who cannot be compared to any Zimbabwean leader.

A source who spoke to this publication said that a section of the CCC members was accusing Hwende of deviating from the norms, ethics and that party’s founding principles of opposing ZANU PF.

“Hwende’s tweets last week have irked some CCC members who are now pushing for his ouster from the secretary general post and eventually from the party. He is being accused of exhibiting a behaviour that is not in tandem with CCC beliefs,” said the source.

The source said that Hwende’s tweet where he criticised former Rhodesia and racist settler Ian Smith saying that, ‘Smith hated black people and killed our people because they were black’, irked some CCC members as there is an unannounced policy in that party members should maintain a western narrative and not to castigate anything western.

According to the source, there is now a growing belief within CCC that Hwende is a CIO and a ZANU PF project. Hwende is also believed to belong to the Maruva cabal which is against Nelson Chamisa’s leadership.

The source further revealed that Chamisa was furious at Hwende’s tweets and has threatened to descend heavily on him.

“Hwende has always known and understood that Chamisa was against the idea of CCC members who castigate Smith or Europeans. Discrediting Smith like what Hwende did has infuriated Chamisa a lot. That’s why Chamisa has called for a meeting with Hwende,” said the source.

According to the source, the meeting that is likely to take place this coming weekend will likely see Hwende being demoted or he will be forced to change his stance on Smith.

Efforts to get a comment from Hwende were futile as his mobile phones were not reachable.