Political Reporter
Hopewell Chin'ono, a Zimbabwean journalist and CCC activist, is under fire from members of his party for publicly criticising that party’s leader, Nelson Chamisa.
In a recent tweet, Chin'ono argued that Morgan Tsvangirai, the late leader of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), was a better politician than Chamisa. He said that Tsvangirai was more experienced, more strategic, and more charismatic than Chamisa.
Chin'ono's comments have been met with anger from some CCC members, who accuse him of trying to divide that party. They say that Chin'ono should have raised his concerns with Chamisa privately instead of airing them in public.
Some CCC members also suspect that Chin'ono is part of the Tendai Biti faction, which is pushing for Chamisa's removal as party leader. Biti, a former Finance Minister, lost that party’s primary elections to Norman Rusty Markham in the Harare East constituency.
The criticism of Chin'ono comes at a time when the CCC is facing internal divisions. Divisions within the CCC have caused that party to field double candidates in several constituencies. Despite pressure and threats of arrest from Chamisa, some CCC candidates refused to withdraw their candidature, arguing that they were the people’s favourites.
In a separate development, Professor Jonathan Moyo, a former cabinet minister, has also dumped Chamisa.Prof Moyo, who was a Chamisa cheerleader in the 2018 elections, has accused the CCC leader of being "politically inept" and "ideologically bankrupt."
According to political commentator, Terrence Chipwanya, Moyo's decision to leave the CCC is a major blow to that party.
"Moyo is a respected intellectual and a skilled politician. His clash with Chamisa could further demoralise the CCC and make it more difficult for the party to win the 2023 elections," said Chipwanya.
Chipwanya added that the criticism of Chin'ono was a sign of the growing divisions within the CCC. He added that the CCC was facing several challenges, including internal divisions, lack of experience, and a weak financial base, and all this could lead to that party's defeat in next month's elections.
