News / National
Council swearing-in exposes CCC hypocrisy
07 Sep 2023 at 06:13hrs | Views
THE Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC)'s inconsistencies and politics of grandstanding without substance have been exposed following the swearing-in of its newly elected councillors in Bulawayo yesterday.
The party said it is rejecting the outcome of last month's harmonised elections but surprisingly all its Bulawayo councillors were sworn in yesterday.
CCC has been on overdrive demanding fresh polls amid unsubstantiated claims that elections were rigged.
The opposition party had further directed its elected candidates in the National Assembly, Senate, Provincial Councils and local authorities to boycott the swearing-in or risk being recalled. All the 29 elected CCC councillors for Bulawayo City took their oath of office yesterday, a confirmation that the party has climbed down on its previous posturing.
An addition, nine women who were elected under the women's quota in local authorities were also sworn in yesterday.
In an interview, newly elected Ward 4 councillor David Coltart said despite his party objecting the outcome of the elections, they had to secure their seats.
"We won in Bulawayo despite those illegalities and we are defending our democratic spaces.
It will be foolhardy for us to refuse to be sworn in just because the party is disputing the overall election outcome," he said.
Midlands State University (MSU) political analyst and media expert Professor Nhamo Mhiripiri said it is increasingly difficult for the public to trust CCC considering its inconsistencies in articulating its positions.
"It is difficult for the world to be attracted to them because of their inconsistencies," he said.
Prof Mhiripiri said the opposition is desperate to grab public attention when it clearly has no solid reason to reject the outcome of the elections.
He said CCC wanted to cause confusion but the public did not fall for its tricks.
Last week the opposition party ran a series of social media campaigns to incite citizens to protest the outcome of elections and outrageously demanding Sadc, African Union or United Nations-administered elections.
"They were trying to cause confusion, uncertainty, doubt and instability but the people are now more mature and can therefore not be hoodwinked by individuals peddling falsehoods," said Prof Mhiripiri.
Bulawayo based legal expert and former CCC Nkulumane National Assembly member Advocate Kucaca Phulu said it would have been unwise for elected members not to take up their positions.
"Swearing-in is not a political process while disputing of an election is a political process which happens within a political party. I think it's fine that they were sworn in," he said.
Adv Phulu said after taking up elected positions, the party can still continue to engage on the issue of disputed outcome of the elections.
The party said it is rejecting the outcome of last month's harmonised elections but surprisingly all its Bulawayo councillors were sworn in yesterday.
CCC has been on overdrive demanding fresh polls amid unsubstantiated claims that elections were rigged.
The opposition party had further directed its elected candidates in the National Assembly, Senate, Provincial Councils and local authorities to boycott the swearing-in or risk being recalled. All the 29 elected CCC councillors for Bulawayo City took their oath of office yesterday, a confirmation that the party has climbed down on its previous posturing.
An addition, nine women who were elected under the women's quota in local authorities were also sworn in yesterday.
In an interview, newly elected Ward 4 councillor David Coltart said despite his party objecting the outcome of the elections, they had to secure their seats.
"We won in Bulawayo despite those illegalities and we are defending our democratic spaces.
It will be foolhardy for us to refuse to be sworn in just because the party is disputing the overall election outcome," he said.
"It is difficult for the world to be attracted to them because of their inconsistencies," he said.
Prof Mhiripiri said the opposition is desperate to grab public attention when it clearly has no solid reason to reject the outcome of the elections.
He said CCC wanted to cause confusion but the public did not fall for its tricks.
Last week the opposition party ran a series of social media campaigns to incite citizens to protest the outcome of elections and outrageously demanding Sadc, African Union or United Nations-administered elections.
"They were trying to cause confusion, uncertainty, doubt and instability but the people are now more mature and can therefore not be hoodwinked by individuals peddling falsehoods," said Prof Mhiripiri.
Bulawayo based legal expert and former CCC Nkulumane National Assembly member Advocate Kucaca Phulu said it would have been unwise for elected members not to take up their positions.
"Swearing-in is not a political process while disputing of an election is a political process which happens within a political party. I think it's fine that they were sworn in," he said.
Adv Phulu said after taking up elected positions, the party can still continue to engage on the issue of disputed outcome of the elections.
Source - The Chronicle
