Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) lawmaker Chalton Hwende has challenged the opposition party to ditch the legal route and instead, devise a political strategy to save the party from disintegration.
Last week, the CCC led by Nelson Chamisa lost another court battle to disputed interim secretary general Sengezo Tshabangu after his High Court application seeking an order to bar Members of Parliament he recalled from contesting in the 03 February by-election was granted.
The High Court ruled that Gift Siziba, Amos Chibaya and other candidates cannot stand as CCC candidates in the upcoming by-elections.
Posting on X (formerly Twitter), Hwende called on his colleagues in CCC to devise a political strategy to save the party from imploding. He wrote:
The Judgement barring our 23 Candidates from participating in the upcoming by-election is wrong and very unfortunate. Democracy and the rule of law are under attack. This is the time we need a political solution. Let’s ditch the courts and go political to save the people’s movement. Our leader is Nelson Chamisa and the party which you voted for is the only authentic people’s movement, united we can win Zimbabwe for change. Let’s save democracy, let’s save Zimbabwe!
CCC spokesperson, Promise Mkwananzi said the recalled MPs are being punished for supporting Chamisa. He wrote on X:
Their (Siziba and Chibaya) crime: loyalty to Chamisa and faithfulness to the struggle. Other than Chamisa himself, they worked the hardest, traversing every corner of the country and introducing the new party: the Citizens Coalition For Change to the masses of the people of Zimbabwe from the new party name, the new slogan, the new structure to the new strategy and many more.
Explaining why we had to form a new party and convincing the sceptics that it was the best way to go.
Even in the face of illegal recalls they stood firm and chose to go with what is right no matter the consequences and the price at a personal level.
These are the calibre of people’s representatives that this country needs. We salute and commend them. We shall continue to fight for the people’s voice to be respected in Zimbabwe.
CCC is now in a precarious position after Parliament, the courts and the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works allowed Tshabangu to recall the party’s MPs and councillors with reckless abandon.
As a result, ZANU PF claimed more seats in the 09 December by-elections and is now on the verge of attaining a two-thirds parliamentary majority.
More: Pindula News