By Wezhira Munya
Former 2023 CCC Mashonaland East Parliamentary Candidates Express Solidarity with President Chamisa
9th February 2024
Murewa, Mashonaland East Parliamentary candidates from Mashonaland East who contested in the 2023 elections under the former Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) party, led by President Nelson Chamisa, convened in Murewa yesterday to reaffirm their steadfast support for President Chamisa.
The gathering in Murewa was prompted by concerns over the alleged infiltration of the CCC party by ZANU-PF, facilitated by the manipulation of their proxies, including Sengezo Tshabangu, who falsely claimed the position of Secretary General, alongside vice presidents Tendai Biti and Professor Welshman Ncube.Advocate Willard Madzimbamuto, representing all the parliamentary candidates from the 2023 elections, presented the following resolutions:To stand firmly behind Advocate Nelson Chamisa.
To disassociate themselves entirely from any association with the CCC party, effective immediately.
In an interview with Change Radio, Advocate Madzimbamuto emphasized the unwavering confidence of all 23 constituencies in Mashonaland East in the capable leadership of President Chamisa.
In the harmonized elections on 23rd August 2023 in Mashonaland East, a region traditionally aligned with ZANU-PF, the CCC, under former President Chamisa, secured four out of 23 available seats.
However, subsequent recalls initiated by Tshabangu et al led to the removal of two CCC parliamentarians, Advocate Madzimbamuto from the Seke constituency and Chagwiza from Goromonzi South.
Consequently, these vacant seats were reclaimed by ZANU-PF, suggesting indirect support from Tshabangu, Biti, and Ncube for ZANU-PF’s electoral success.CCC clinched victories in Seke, Marondera Central, Ruwa, and Goromonzi South.
Particularly noteworthy were CCC’s wins in the rural constituencies of Seke (encompassing six rural wards, two wards in newly resettled farming areas, and three wards in peri-urban zones) and Goromonzi South rural constituency, marking significant achievements for President Chamisa’s CCC.
In the Seke constituency’s 2023 harmonized elections, Advocate Willard Madzimbamuto of CCC secured victory with 14,032 votes, surpassing ZANU-PF’s Munyaradzi Kashambe who garnered 13,277 votes.
However, ZANU-PF reclaimed the Seke constituency seat in a subsequent by-election, with Munyaradzi Tobias Kashambe emerging victorious with 8,586 votes, while the CCC candidate, Everisto Chisi, secured 669 votes, and independent candidate Willard Madzimbamuto obtained 2,401 votes.
Similarly, in 2023, President Chamisa’s CCC won the parliamentary seat in Goromonzi South, with CCC’s Stephen Chagwiza clinching victory after securing 16,312 votes, defeating ZANU-PF’s Tinashe Chikonye who obtained 15,216 votes.
However, ZANU-PF reclaimed the Goromonzi South seat following the recall of the hardworking and popular Chagwiza by Tshabangu and his associates.
Chagwiza was barred from contesting the subsequent by-election by the High Court, resulting in ZANU-PF’s candidate, Washington Zhanda, winning with 6,865 votes, while CCC’s Tshabangu candidate, Rueben Chikudo, received 1,067 votes.
Furthermore, Tshabangu and his allies recalled three CCC Marondera district wards, leading to ZANU-PF’s victory in these contested wards during the by-elections held on 3rd February 2024, namely wards 5, 8, and 10.