Staff Reporter

The bromance between opposition Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) leader, Nelson Chamisa and his vice president, Tendai Biti is said to be on shaky ground owing to infighting over the delayed announcement of candidates nomination results of Chitungwiza.

According to an interviewed ZINASU member, Lennox Machoko, who was the election commissioner of CCC nomination exercise in Chitungwiza, Biti wants some of his Maruva faction allies such as Alexio Musundire to win election nominations in Zengeza East constituency.

Biti reckons Musundire is the ideal person from the Maruva cabal faction of CCC who can unseat Chamisa’s ally, Rangarirai Mutingwende in Zengeza East constituency. Biti was expecting results to be announced earlier, but Chamisa used his presidential powers to thwart the move.

Both Biti and Chamisa have apparently held secret meetings which were confirmed by Musundire, Biti’s chief lobbyist. CCC members from Harare indicated that the Party will meet and discuss the announcement of CCC nomination results. 

CCC youth organizer only identified as Yolanda told this  publication that, “The popular view is that Chamisa has imposed candidates aligned to his faction in the nomination exercise done in Chitungwiza, where rigging, intimidation and manipulation were rampant for the  consolidation of his power.”

The fall out between Biti and Chamisa can be traced back to 2015, when Biti was sacked from MDC-T amidst allegations of backstabbing by Chamisa. To this date there have been trust issues between the pair.  Another bone of contention arose in 2019 during the MDC Alliance Congress in Gweru when Biti lost to Chamisa. In  return, Chamisa  initiated a pro-youth policy to  barricade his  Presidency from the  old  guard such as  Biti and the incarcerated Job Sikhala.