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Welshman Ncube Left Stranded In Yellow Sand
18 February 2024
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By Dorrothy Moyo | In a striking twist to the political landscape, the Citizens Coalition for Change – Tshabangu faction has unveiled a temporary leadership shift, placing Prof Welshman Ncube at the helm as the acting president.

Program on Sunday

This interim arrangement was made public by Jacob Mafume, the acting CCC spokesperson, during a press briefing in Bulawayo, heralding a novel rotational leadership strategy. Prof Ncube is set to preside over the party’s affairs for a 90-day period, paving the way for an upcoming elective congress where Tendai Biti is expected to succeed him, followed by Lynette Karenyi-Kore in this temporary presidency role.

This strategic maneuver stems from the party’s decision back in 2019 to adopt a rotational leadership model. In a parallel development, Lynette Karenyi-Kore has been elected as the leader of the Opposition in Parliament, a decision ratified by the CCC Parliamentary Caucus on February 15, 2024. These appointments, among others, are slated for formal notification to the Speaker of Parliament shortly.

The backdrop to these developments is marked by a controversial suggestion from activist Hopewell Chinono to the Zimbabwe Defence Forces, advocating for interventions in Nelson Chamisa’s party and broader civil society between 2019 and 2023 to mitigate national tensions. This advice has precipitated notable repercussions, including two significant confiscations of Chamisa’s party assets post-2018 elections, military incursions into safe houses sheltering abused activists, and a concerted crackdown on Chamisa’s party during the 2023 elections, culminating in the tragic demise of campaigner Bishop Tapfumaneyi Masaya.

Hopewell Chinono’s strategy, which seemingly aimed at fragmenting Chamisa’s party to alleviate political strife, now appears to have left Prof Welshman Ncube in a precarious position, navigating the party through a period of uncertainty and reorganization. This leadership rotation marks a critical juncture for the CCC-Tshabangu faction, as it seeks to consolidate its ranks, reinvigorate its democratic mission, and address pressing national issues like the cholera outbreak and rampant inflation under the interim stewardship of Prof Ncube.