News / National
Biti distances self from Sengezo Tshabangu
12 Nov 2023 at 06:54hrs | Views
Former Harare East MP and "Change Champion" for the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC), Tendai Biti, has at last responded to accusations of orchestrating party recalls that have disrupted the Nelson Chamisa-led movement.
In his statement titled "Zimbabwe at a Crossroads," issued on Saturday, Biti expressed astonishment and indignation at what he labeled as "malicious and defamatory" allegations, asserting that he and Welshman Ncube were collaborating with Zanu-PF to undermine CCC through unauthorized recalls.
Sengezo Tshabangu, claiming to be CCC's secretary general, has executed numerous recalls of elected CCC MPs, Senators, and Councillors. His latest recalls were of Senators on the preceding Friday.
"It is disconcerting to hear and read a continuous stream of abusive, malicious, and defamatory claims that Professor Welshman Ncube and I are conspiring with the regime and its proxies to disrupt a struggle that has occupied and consumed all our adult lives," lamented Biti, a veteran in the struggle against Zanu-PF.
"As someone deeply entrenched in this struggle, one who has endured imprisonment and physical attacks by Zanu-PF, it is disheartening that comrades who have been with us on this journey are now being falsely labeled with badges Zanu-PF wishes they had coined first," he added.
Biti emphasized his unwavering commitment to the democratic cause in Zimbabwe, stating, "Given what I and my family have sacrificed for this struggle, it saddens me to publicly state that I will never be part of a project to weaken the democratic struggle in Zimbabwe. I have been imprisoned and tortured for the change we all seek, and I have stood firm. I have never worked for Zanu-PF, and I will die before I lend my hand to the illegitimate Zanu-PF regime."
Asserting his democratic principles, Biti declared, "Being a democrat who believes in constitutionalism, the rule of law, transparency, openness, and collective leadership, I could never compromise on our core values."
While acknowledging CCC's imperfections, Biti expressed reservations about the process that prevented him from becoming a CCC MP. He vehemently opposed the idea of recalls, citing his personal experiences of being recalled twice in 2015 and 2021.
"I know the pain of a recall. My family knows the pain of a recall. The people of Harare East know the pain of a recall. With other MPs, such as Temba Mliswa, we unsuccessfully fought for the removal and repeal of section 129(1)(k)," stated the former MP.
Biti accused Zanu-PF of electoral theft, corruption, and looting public assets, attributing these actions to the suffering of Zimbabweans. He characterized the regime's maneuvers as a distraction from the overarching goal of liberating the country from what he termed a "rapacious dictatorship."
"It has been a long and arduous road, and victory is closer than the distance back to where we started. The regime is now engaged in a malicious push to weaken our struggle, the progressive movement, through the illegal recall of elected public representatives," concluded Biti.
In his statement titled "Zimbabwe at a Crossroads," issued on Saturday, Biti expressed astonishment and indignation at what he labeled as "malicious and defamatory" allegations, asserting that he and Welshman Ncube were collaborating with Zanu-PF to undermine CCC through unauthorized recalls.
Sengezo Tshabangu, claiming to be CCC's secretary general, has executed numerous recalls of elected CCC MPs, Senators, and Councillors. His latest recalls were of Senators on the preceding Friday.
"It is disconcerting to hear and read a continuous stream of abusive, malicious, and defamatory claims that Professor Welshman Ncube and I are conspiring with the regime and its proxies to disrupt a struggle that has occupied and consumed all our adult lives," lamented Biti, a veteran in the struggle against Zanu-PF.
"As someone deeply entrenched in this struggle, one who has endured imprisonment and physical attacks by Zanu-PF, it is disheartening that comrades who have been with us on this journey are now being falsely labeled with badges Zanu-PF wishes they had coined first," he added.
Asserting his democratic principles, Biti declared, "Being a democrat who believes in constitutionalism, the rule of law, transparency, openness, and collective leadership, I could never compromise on our core values."
While acknowledging CCC's imperfections, Biti expressed reservations about the process that prevented him from becoming a CCC MP. He vehemently opposed the idea of recalls, citing his personal experiences of being recalled twice in 2015 and 2021.
"I know the pain of a recall. My family knows the pain of a recall. The people of Harare East know the pain of a recall. With other MPs, such as Temba Mliswa, we unsuccessfully fought for the removal and repeal of section 129(1)(k)," stated the former MP.
Biti accused Zanu-PF of electoral theft, corruption, and looting public assets, attributing these actions to the suffering of Zimbabweans. He characterized the regime's maneuvers as a distraction from the overarching goal of liberating the country from what he termed a "rapacious dictatorship."
"It has been a long and arduous road, and victory is closer than the distance back to where we started. The regime is now engaged in a malicious push to weaken our struggle, the progressive movement, through the illegal recall of elected public representatives," concluded Biti.
Source - newzimbabwe
