Angry supporters slam Chamisa?

Angry Members of the Citizens' Coalition for Change (CCC) expressed their dissatisfaction with Mr. Nelson Chamisa, the leader of the opposition party, during his recent visit to Bulawayo. They accused him of imposing his inner circle as candidates in the Bulawayo province for the recent harmonized elections.

Zanu-PF controlled media claims that this imposition of candidates has been cited as the root cause of the ongoing recall of National Assembly Members within the opposition party. The chaos within the party is seen as a reflection of Mr. Chamisa's leadership style, with allegations that he has turned the party into a personal project.

The Parliament has declared 15 seats vacant following the recall of these Members of Parliament by CCC interim secretary general, Mr. Sengenzo Tshabangu, for their alleged lack of allegiance to the opposition movement.

During Mr. Chamisa's attempt to address party members at MacDonald Hall in Mzilikazi suburb last Friday, he was met with an angry crowd. Initially, the meeting was planned as a closed-door event for party members from 3.30 pm to 4.30 pm, but aggrieved party members disrupted it by hurling insults and pelting his car with stones.

Mr. Chamisa has been touring the country in an effort to engage with CCC members after the party's loss in the general elections held on August 23 and 24. Prior to the Bulawayo meeting, he had met with members from Matebeleland South and Matebeleland North provinces.

Insiders from the CCC reported that disgruntled party members confronted Mr. Chamisa regarding the imposition of candidates, leading to tense situations and skirmishes during the Friday meeting.

A party insider described the scene, saying, "It nearly got messy during Friday's meeting as some of the aggrieved party members confronted Mr. Chamisa over the imposition of candidates. The angry members charged at him as he approached the venue hurling insults."

Security personnel eventually managed to remove Mr. Chamisa from the situation. However, it appeared that Mr. Chamisa was unfazed by the protestors' demands for answers about the candidate selection process. The protestors raised concerns about the legitimacy of some candidates, including their residency and pending criminal cases.

They also highlighted the sidelining of respected, long-serving members like Ambrose Sibindi, who has worked with residents in the Nketa suburb, and Dr. Mandla Nyathi, a well-regarded technocrat.

The source suggested that the recall of 15 MPs was connected to the controversial candidate selection process, which left deserving candidates excluded.

Former CCC Nkulumane National Assembly member, Advocate Kucaca Phulu, noted the divisions within the opposition party and stressed the importance of addressing internal matters through constructive engagement rather than conflict.

He emphasized the need for the party to establish internal platforms for resolving disputes and conflicts. Mr. Phulu also highlighted the negative consequences of failing to address internal issues, which often result in confusion and discord within the party.

Efforts to reach CCC deputy spokesperson Mr. Gift Siziba for comment were unsuccessful as his cellphone was unreachable.

The CCC had initially planned to address the media but issued a statement on a different platform, expressing regret for not being able to proceed as planned and promising to reschedule the event.