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Fungi Kwaramba-Political Editor

AS was expected, serial political parties’ hopper, Mr Nelson Chamisa, has quit the opposition CCC after he lost control to party interim secretary-general Mr Sengezo Tshabangu, triggering a rebellion among his former party’s legislators, mayors and councillors who have vowed not to “follow a corpse into its grave”.

Mr Chamisa, who lost control of the MDC culminating in the formation of CCC, yesterday said in a statement littered with falsehoods and woefully short on substance that he is no longer a member of the CCC.

Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister, Dr Jenfan Muswere, last night said the resignation of Mr Chamisa “is a non-event, which is not surprising given that the CCC formation originates from various MDC formations riddled with infighting, internal contradictions, dictatorship, puppetry and leadership deficiency”.

“The rantings and misleading empty statement is not based on law, but on imagination, lack of understanding the legislation related to electoral laws, the role and mandate of observer missions and deficiency in the running and management of a political party,” said Dr Muswere.

“Historically, opposition formations are in the habit of donating their leadership or partners to Government or Zanu PF, but after they make amends, they have never reverted to correct their misinformation to the constituencies. 

“If you analyse most of the members of the structure-less opposition have been part of different formations and have along the way been donated in the media to Government or the ruling party in the past.”

Dr Muswere added that Mr Chamisa’s loss of confidence “in his structure-less strategy ambiguity is evidence that personality obsessive cult politics cannot survive a just, democratic dispensation”.

“We are reliably informed that the resignation is for convenience as internal fissures wanted accountability of funds,” he said.

MPs, councillors, and even mayors from the opposition said they were never consulted and will not follow the troubled opposition leader who they described as having “messianic delusions”.

In interviews, several CCC legislators and councillors vowed to stand by the party interim secretary-general, Mr Tshabangu.

Harare Mayor Clr Jacob Mafume last night said he will stand with the people who elected him into the office and will follow whatever the CCC leadership which will replace Mr Chamisa will say.

“The direction will come from the collective leadership of the party that will be announced to run CCC, until that time we will remain carrying the mandate that we were elected to do by the people of Harare,” said Mayor Mafume.

It is a view shared by a majority of CCC legislators who yesterday told The Herald that they will remain in Parliament or local authorities to see through their terms and expressed frustration at Mr Chamisa’s unilateral decision-making and dictatorial inclinations.

“It is one of the most difficult decisions to make. Looking at how much I lost during my campaign trail, it is prudent to remain in CCC. Remember we are yet to get vehicles under the Parliamentary Vehicle Loan scheme,” said one MP.

Another legislator from CCC said following Mr Chamisa was difficult because there were no consultations among all stakeholders including MPs.

“In as much as we understand our president’s frustration, he took a unilateral decision in pulling out of CCC. His decision to leave CCC continues to expose us to the wrath of Mr Tshabangu as it becomes easy for him to determine where one stands, thus exposing us to recalls. 

“Had he consulted us as well, we could have proffered better advice that looks at issues holistically. It is for that reason that I feel I cannot fall with him. I will remain with CCC so that I end my term,” he said.

Another MP echoed the same sentiments saying Mr Chamisa is fond of making unilateral decisions devoid of consultations.

“The announcement to leave CCC appears to me to have been a knee-jerk reaction following the High Court decision barring our candidates from contesting in the forthcoming by-election. So my view is that leaving CCC is committing political suicide. I will remain with CCC even though I do not subscribe to the direction Tshabangu is taking the party,” he said.

In his statement Mr Chamisa said: “This is to officially, and under my hand, inform you, fellow citizens of Zimbabwe and the world, that, with immediate effect, I no longer have anything to do with CCC.

“My focus remains fully on Zimbabwe, asserting your victory, honouring the citizens’ mandate and God’s calling to provide leadership. There are fresh things we need to do. Let’s all work together for total freedom, true change, and holistic transformation for our beloved country.”

In the 13-page statement, Mr Chamisa evaded taking responsibility for the party’s failures.

Instead of acknowledging his role in the party’s fissures, he deflected blame and focused on attacking others.

But the blame squarely rests on his shoulders, according to analysts, who said the fact that he has lost another party within two years is an indictment of his leadership credentials.

Political scientist, Professor Jonathan Moyo, described the opposition leader as his worst enemy.

“Anyone anywhere who at any time comes up with a political party with no structures and with no constitution, or who makes himself or herself the structure and constitution of the party is his or her own worst enemy. 

“Of course, people can come up with as many ghosts or strawman arguments as they want to explain away their culpability, but while a structureless and constitutionless formation may work for a cultic church, it can never work for a political party. Never ever. There’s nothing as easily infiltratable as a structureless and constitutionless political party, especially one that claims to be officerless and memberless. A political party like that can never meet the most basic elements of a democratic or progressive formation,” said Prof Moyo.

Some of Mr Chamisa’s staunchest supporters like the United Kingdom-based Professor Stephen Chan, a well-known Government critic, questioned the now party-less opposition frontman’s leadership credentials.

“OK, it’s confirmed. He is leaving the CCC. No news as yet of another new party, although many expect that. But it raises big questions about his ability to stay and fight big complex battles. Especially complex battles,” said Prof Chan.

Posting on his official X account, Rev Dr Kenneth Mtata, another sympathiser of the opposition, described Mr Chamisa’s statement as deficient in several ways saying it was unclear whether the party had dissolved itself or if only the leader had resigned.

“The statement only mentions CCC 14 times out of 13 pages even though CCC is supposed to be the main subject. The statement does not say what has happened to the largest opposition party in the country except that ‘the CCC idea was an idea we prayerfully conceived . . . meant to place Our God and the citizens at the centre of all decision making,’ but has now “been criminally handed over to Zanu PF”, and “CCC cannot deliver a New Great Zimbabwe!”

“What exactly has happened to CCC as a party beyond these riddles and innuendos? Has the party been dissolved, or only the leader resigned? Is this statement the result of a decision taken by the party or by Nelson Chamisa alone? What came out of the recent citizens’ “consultations?” Whither CCC? is the main question. We no longer have CCC? What happens to the MPs? Will they join Chamisa or stay in Parliament”.

On X, Labour, Economists and African Democrats (LEAD) president Linda Masarira described the former CCC leader as a “coward,” who betrayed his followers.

“Amidst such surveillance, which @nelsonchamisa has never endured, @HEBobiwine has never quit. Nero (Chamisa) is a coward. He created social media against me to insult me, shame me & and ridicule me but never did quitting became an option. Chamisa has just thrown his MPs under the bus!”