Political Reporter

The rift between Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) leader, Nelson Chamisa and that party’s interim secretary general, Charlton Hwende has widened with the former telling the latter to form his own political outfit if he was not comfortable with his leadership.

A source who spoke to this publication said that Chamisa and Hwende had a telephone outburst on 8 September 2022 when Chamisa accused Hwende of conniving with a South African based academic, Justice Mavedzenge to author an article that criticised Chamisa’s leadership style.

“Chamisa and Hwende are currently not seeing eye to eye. Last week, Chamisa called Hwende and accused him of plotting a palace coup. Chamisa told Hwende that CCC was his personal political project and he was free to form his own party if he was not comfortable with the current structure of the party. Wamba (Chamisa) was furious that Hwende had connived with Mavedzenge to author a damning article that labelled him an autocratic leader,” said the source.

The article by Mavedzenge, who is believed to be a close confidante of Hwende, labelled Chamisa as a ‘populist and autocratic’ leader whose   leadership was ‘shaped and encouraged by the enormous power he enjoys over his colleagues’ as well as ‘intolerance and the lack of a democratic culture’ within CCC.

Mavedzenge’s article further accused Chamisa of being an albatross hanging around the CCC party as he was administrating that party with the help of a few loyalists such as Fadzayi Mahere, Amos Chibaya and Lynnette Karenyi Kore.

According to the source, the recent tweet by Chamisa that CCC had no secretary general was meant to clip Hwende’s wings as he was claiming to be the interim secretary general of that party.

The source added that Chamisa further fumed at Hwende accusing him of sponsoring the narrative by exiled former cabinet Minister, Jonathan Moyo that CCC was an undemocratic party as it doesn’t have structures.

Chamisa reportedly insinuated that Hwende had become a rogue member of that party as he was dining and wining with Chamisa’s critics. He threatened that he would exterminate Hwende’s political life if he continues to work against him.

Meanwhile, the source said that Hwende was also angry with Chamisa who has chosen to align himself with the Johnny-come-lately at the expense of seasoned members like him.

Efforts to get a comment from CCC interim spokesperson, Fadzayi Mahere were futile as her mobile phones were not reachable.