By Munacho Gwamanda- The Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) has plunged into a dramatic power struggle as interim secretary-general Sengezo Tshabangu and faction leader Welshman Ncube publicly declare their relationship “irreconcilable.”
The feud highlights the intensifying rift within the opposition party, with both leaders blaming each other for the ongoing chaos.
Tshabangu’s controversial reshuffling of parliamentary committee chairpersons and his directive for CCC legislators to visit President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s Precabe Farm in Kwekwe sparked sharp criticism.
The farm visit—a Zanu PF-branded programme—left many CCC activists fuming, refusing to participate in what they saw as dining with the enemy.
Ncube’s faction swiftly condemned Tshabangu’s decisions, declaring his appointments to the local government caucus “null and void” and threatening disciplinary action.
However, Tshabangu’s camp remains defiant.
His spokesperson, Nqobizitha Mlilo, dismissed the threats, stating, “There is a difference between a threat and a promise.”
He emphasised that any action taken by Ncube’s faction must align with the party’s constitution, hinting at Tshabangu’s readiness to respond decisively.
The CCC’s internal fractures have deepened since Nelson Chamisa’s resignation as party leader in January last year.
Chamisa’s withdrawal created a power vacuum that emboldened competing factions, with Tshabangu and Ncube emerging as chief antagonists.
Ncube-led CCC spokesperson Willias Madzimure underscored the breakdown in relations, citing Tshabangu’s continued unilateral decision-making and deviation from the party’s vision.
“It’s difficult to solve issues amicably when someone repeatedly errs,” said Madzimure.
He slammed the Precabe Farm visit, questioning its alignment with opposition ideals: “It’s purely a Zanu PF programme. Why rally opposition legislators to attend?”
Amid the turmoil, Chamisa has maintained a strategic silence, avoiding entanglement in the factional disputes.
His absence from the battlefield has fueled speculation that he is recalibrating his approach to reclaim authority within the CCC or exploring broader political strategies outside the party’s current mess.