By Political Reporter- The Sengezo Tshabangu-fronted CCC is struggling to eliminate the shadow of Opposition politician Nelson Chamisa from the party as his (Chamisa) Blue Movement is using Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) structures to galvanise his support base.

Former CCC Members of Parliament Amos Chibaya and Gift Siziba have been holding rallies across the country updating the party’s grassroots supporters on the state of the new political movement which will have blue as its colour.

Chibaya and Siziba notified the police of their intentions to hold a rally at Mkoba Golf Course, Mkoba North Constituency in Gweru on Sunday, 10 March.

They applied to hold the rally using the CCC name and structures. Speaking to NewsDay, Siziba said:

Police have banned our rally in Mkoba which was slated for this afternoon on the basis that there was not sufficient information about the venue when the letter clearly stated that it will be held at Mkoba 4 Golf Course.

According to a letter dated 09 March 2024, addressed to “The Convener, CCC Midlands Province”, by the Officer Commanding Police, Gweru Urban District, Chief Superintendent T.B Gumpo, the rally could not go ahead “in the interest of public safety.”

Chief Superintendent T.B Gumpo said that the convener did not specify the venue for the rally and that there was a real threat of violence breaking out.

Speaking to NewsDay, political analyst Rashweat Mukundu said Chamisa’s political movement might be thwarted given the “politicised Judiciary”. Said Mukundu:

We are aware of the fact that we have a hugely politicised and ineffective Judiciary of course (it) can be abused for the political gain of ZANU PF but even stretching this far makes a mockery of our Judiciary and political systems.

The way forward for Chamisa is to launch a new party that tries to be foolproof from ZANU PF infiltration and the likes of Tshabangu.

What we are seeing more broadly in the political space in Zimbabwe is undermining of the democratic political practices in the sense that you cannot have impostors like Tshabangu who never campaigned for CCC and are not known come out and claim that they are leaders. 

Regardless, the opposition forces must maintain pressure on ZANU PF, must maintain mobilisation and hopefully be in a position to contest again.