Sengezo Tshabangu says former Citizens for Coalition Change (CCC) MPs who were recalled after the 23 August 2023 elections will not be allowed to participate in by-elections using the party’s name.
Tshabangu, who claims to be CCC interim secretary general, warned that he will block the former legislators’ participation in the by-elections scheduled for early February.
His lawyer Nqobani Sithole asserted that Tshabangu will not allow the Nelson Chamisa-aligned party candidates to use the CCC’s name during the by-elections. Sithole was quoted by Bulawayo24 as saying:
That road has been travelled before and nothing has changed. You can’t be expelled and still represent the same party that expelled you.
So, to us, it’s just a legal nullity. We know that what happened before is also going to happen again because there is a ruling which clearly states the legal penalties on this issue.
Those members are not going to be candidates in the next by-elections because they are no longer members of CCC.
Four out of the six Chamisa-aligned former CCC MPs filed their nomination papers under the CCC banner for the 03 February 2024 by-elections.
That was despite a recent High Court ruling which barred their colleagues from taking part in the 09 December by-elections on the party’s ticket.
Only Willard Madzimbamuto (Seke) and Stephen Chatiza (Goromonzi South) filed their nomination papers as independent candidates, while Amos Chibaya’s (Mkoba North) allegiance is not clear as he is the only recalled CCC MP who is not being challenged by another CCC candidate for the constituency.
More: Pindula News