CCC consults supporters on Parly pull-out

THE Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) yesterday said it was consulting its supporters on the way forward as it mulls pulling out of Parliament in protest over the "sham" December 9 by-elections.

CCC candidates belonging to the main faction led by Nelson Chamisa were barred from contesting in the by-elections which were prompted by the party's self-proclaimed interim secretary-general Sengezo Tshabangu after he recalled more than a dozen CCC Members of Parliament elected in the August 23 and 24 harmonised elections.

Zanu-PF bagged seven out of nine contested seats which were previously under the CCC.

CCC spokesperson Promise Mkwananzi told journalists yesterday that the party's highest decision-making body, the citizens national assembly, had resolved to consult its supporters on the way forward.

"The assembly resolved not to recognise the unlawful conduct and outcome of the December 9 by-elections and directed the appropriate bureaus to seek the setting aside of the charade," Mkwananzi said.

"The assembly resolved to further consult the citizens on the party's continued participation in Parliament and local authority. There are processes that are going to be unveiled to complement the parliamentary processes.

"Importantly, we are going to see a lot of activities in constituencies that were denied the opportunity to vote for the candidates of their choice."

He added: "There are going to be activities taking place there,  with voters demanding the right to vote and demanding their MPs back and demanding that if there is a by-election, people have a right to be voted for."

CCC lawyer and Hatcliffe legislator Agency Gumbo said the party would also not abandon court processes despite expressing concerns over the Judiciary's handling of its cases.

"The position that we have taken as a party is that we shall not abandon the legal processes in the quest to resolve the ongoing issues around capture of the people's will and restoring the democratic tendency in this country," Gumbo said.

"We believe in the courts as the institutions of the Constitution. We believe in constitutionalism and we have the right to make comments where we believe there is an overarching effect of the Executive in the Judiciary."

Meanwhile, the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission yesterday gazetted the legislators who won in the December 9 by-elections.

Another set of by-elections is scheduled for February 3.