Political Reporter

Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) Bulawayo Province has been rocked by rampant tribalism ahead of next week’s candidate selection process.

A source who spoke to this publication said that the Welshmen Ncube led faction had vowed to block all Shona speakers from contesting in the forthcoming elections in Bulawayo Province.

The source said that the Ncube faction led by Bulawayo Progressive Residents Association (BPRA) chairperson, Ambrose Sibindi, was mobilising people to refuse the fielding of Shona speaking candidates in Bulawayo.

“Sibindi together with the likes of  Bajila Ndlovu, Mpumelelo Moyo and Pumulani Sibanda are mobilising people to reject Shona candidates in Bulawayo. They are saying that no Shona people should be allowed to represent CCC in the forthcoming elections. They are doing all this with the blessing of their godfather, Ncube,” said the source.

The source added that Sibindi had been complaining that CCC leader; Nelson Chamisa was contemplating imposing Shona candidates in Bulawayo and was secretly urging people to resist Chamisa’s machinations.

According to the source, the Ncube faction fronted by Sibindi,  was pushing a narrative that CCC should be led by a Ndebele arguing that previous Shona leaders such as the late Morgan Tsvangirai had failed to steer the opposition to victory.

The same source said that in the event that a Shona candidate was allowed to represent CCC in any of Bulawayo constituencies, Sibindi and other faction, members were plotting to mobilise members not to vote for that candidate.

Meanwhile, it was not the first time for Sibindi to be embroiled in tribal battles in Bulawayo as he was at one time accused of leading the purge against former Bulawayo deputy mayor, Tinashe Kambarami on the grounds that he was not a Ndebele. Sibindi used his powers as BPRA chairperson to urge Bulawayo residents to protest against Kambarami who was eventually removed as the deputy mayor.