News / National
Chamisa drops a political bombshell
25 Jan 2024 at 19:44hrs | Views
Zimbabwe's main opposition CCC leader Nelson Chamisa, who has given President Emmerson Mnangagwa a good run for his money in two tightly-contested and disputed presidential elections, has abandoned his party, saying it has now been criminally infiltrated and hijacked by the ruling Zanu PF and its agents.
In a shock announcement through a long statement, Chamisa said:
"This is to officially, and under my hand, inform you fellow citizens of Zimbabwe and the world, that, with immediate effect, I no longer have anything to do with CCC."
With that announcement, the CCC is instantly dead.
Without Chamisa, the party is gone.
Just like the MDC-T and MDC Alliance collapsed and died when he pulled out due to similar internal strife to eventually form CCC, the party won't survive without him.
Even the MDC parties were destroyed by Zanu PF and state infiltration, a problem Chamisa tried to resolve by making the CCC amorphous through "strategic ambiguity".
Chamisa's critics say the CCC was inevitably not going to survive if it was amorphous, leaderless and radarless without a constitution, organisational structures, office-bearers, offices, treasury and bank account, internal democracy and accountability.
They also say this underlines the problem of personality-based parties and personality cult politics in Zimbabwe.
However, Chamisa says the problem is not his nebulous concept of "strategic ambiguity", but that the party has been "infiltrated, contaminated, bastardised and hijacked" by Zanu PF and its agents through political chicanery.
He says the real problem is Zanu PF authoritarian political repression and disastrous economic mismanagement.
Authoritarian regimes co-opt opposition parties or infiltrate to destroy them.
Modern authoritarianism regimes like Zanu PF succeed, where previous totalitarian systems failed, due to new strategies of repression.
Chamisa's bombshell comes after an internal implosion of the CCC following self-imposed secretary-general Sengezo Tshabangu's dramatic and arbitrary recalls of its MPs, senators and councillors through brazen political subterfuge, supported by the executive, parliament and the judiciary, as well as Zanu PF, spearheaded by state security agents.
Tshabangu took advantage of the CCC's amorphous structure, lack of constitution and office-bearers to claim interim leadership through a self-appointed committee of his Bulawayo-based allies to destroy the CCC.
Clearly, the Tshabangu-led democracy destruction committee has succeeded in hijacking the party and blowing it into smithereens.
This broad daylight democratic subversion leaves voters and the people in the lurch.
Without CCC, it also leaves Zimbabwe now under the rule of a de facto one-party state.
Ultimately, democracy has suddenly been thrown into the intensive care unit, with the people who voted for original CCC MPs in August general elections last year being the main losers.
Now without Chamisa, CCC MPs loyal to him are left in the lurch as well and vulnerable to further recalls and decimation.
Chamisa said:
"As you may be aware, the CCC idea was an idea we prayerfully conceived. The original idea meant to place Our God and the Citizens at the center of all decision making. This test was not passed and the purpose was not served.
"The original CCC idea has however been contaminated, bastardized, hijacked by ZANU PF through the abuse of State institutions. CCC has not been aligned to its founding Purpose and Mandate. Further, CCC has now been rendered an extension of and been taken over by ZANU PF.
"CCC has, to all intents and purposes, been criminally handed over to ZANU PF. Our politics has been defiled by schemes of personal aggrandisement upon a runaway pursuit of politics of positions, title, benefits, trinkets and trappings of office. A contaminated, bastardized, hijacked CCC cannot deliver a New Great Zimbabwe!
"But then God's grace is sufficient! Indeed God is in it.
7However, it is not like Zanu Pf is unconquerable, this Zanu Pf you see today, you will see it no more. Our God has opened a new way. Unfortunately, the road is narrow and I have to meet the demands of my assignment. The citizens of Zimbabwe will be set free from the hands of oppression.
"On account of the absence of any plan by the incumbent to resolve the Zimbabwe crisis, the solution to the problems affecting our beautiful and beloved country. Zimbabwe must return to legitimacy and majority happiness.
"We as the citizens are duty bound to find lasting answers to our perennial national questions. With what has happened to CCC, we need honest and accountable citizens in leadership. Stand ready to serve!
"I have been approached by war veterans, women's groups, youth groups, church leaders, traditional leaders, trade unions, civil society and even various leaders on the continent on the ways to find a lasting solution to our problems
as a nation.
"Various schemes and carrots have been dangled to entice the undermining of the cause for freedom. Some of us have refused silver coins in pursuit of the higher ideal- Happiness and Dignity for everyone. It is now clear to everyone that big money is finding into the pockets of some, who, on account of poverty and material desperation have succumbed to the temptation of enticement.
"The infiltration of CCC and our efforts to wrestle it out of capture, is to our utmost surprise but not unexpected, been denied through the judicial system-defying all logic and legal reasoning.
"We are being thrown into a river with hungry crocodiles, but clearly in our view I will refuse to swim in a river with hungry crocodiles. We need to extricate ourselves from the shenanigans. I will have nothing to do with sewer pond politics.
"We call upon all citizens to rally behind fresh politics, new politics and genuine fresh and credible leaders who want to serve and not to be served.
ZANU PF can take everything that we sweated for, take the party and its name, take the money and whoever is a beneficiary of this fraud, is a certified fraudster.
"This is to officially, and under my hand, inform you fellow citizens of Zimbabwe and the world, that, with immediate effect, I no longer have anything to do with CCC.
"As a patriot, I remain active in public service. I also remain a loyal citizen listener, freedom advocate, a citizens' champion and leader.
"My focus remains fully on Zimbabwe, asserting your victory, honoring the citizens mandate and God's calling to provide leadership.
"There are fresh things we need to do. Let's all work together for total freedom, true change and wholistic transformation for our beloved country. Giving up or giving in is not an option. Nothing comes without tenacity and resilience. Fellow citizens, you will be kept posted on the next step."
Chamisa also says the problem in Zimbabwe is also flawed elections and an illegitimate government led by people who manipulate and rob their way into power and remain there by authoritarian repression and corruption.
He says the hijacking of the CCC was fronted by a Zanu PF-controlled political fraudster, attacking Sengezo Tshabangu, who spearheaded the recalls that destroyed the opposition.
In a shock announcement through a long statement, Chamisa said:
"This is to officially, and under my hand, inform you fellow citizens of Zimbabwe and the world, that, with immediate effect, I no longer have anything to do with CCC."
With that announcement, the CCC is instantly dead.
Without Chamisa, the party is gone.
Just like the MDC-T and MDC Alliance collapsed and died when he pulled out due to similar internal strife to eventually form CCC, the party won't survive without him.
Even the MDC parties were destroyed by Zanu PF and state infiltration, a problem Chamisa tried to resolve by making the CCC amorphous through "strategic ambiguity".
Chamisa's critics say the CCC was inevitably not going to survive if it was amorphous, leaderless and radarless without a constitution, organisational structures, office-bearers, offices, treasury and bank account, internal democracy and accountability.
They also say this underlines the problem of personality-based parties and personality cult politics in Zimbabwe.
However, Chamisa says the problem is not his nebulous concept of "strategic ambiguity", but that the party has been "infiltrated, contaminated, bastardised and hijacked" by Zanu PF and its agents through political chicanery.
He says the real problem is Zanu PF authoritarian political repression and disastrous economic mismanagement.
Authoritarian regimes co-opt opposition parties or infiltrate to destroy them.
Modern authoritarianism regimes like Zanu PF succeed, where previous totalitarian systems failed, due to new strategies of repression.
Chamisa's bombshell comes after an internal implosion of the CCC following self-imposed secretary-general Sengezo Tshabangu's dramatic and arbitrary recalls of its MPs, senators and councillors through brazen political subterfuge, supported by the executive, parliament and the judiciary, as well as Zanu PF, spearheaded by state security agents.
Tshabangu took advantage of the CCC's amorphous structure, lack of constitution and office-bearers to claim interim leadership through a self-appointed committee of his Bulawayo-based allies to destroy the CCC.
Clearly, the Tshabangu-led democracy destruction committee has succeeded in hijacking the party and blowing it into smithereens.
This broad daylight democratic subversion leaves voters and the people in the lurch.
Without CCC, it also leaves Zimbabwe now under the rule of a de facto one-party state.
Ultimately, democracy has suddenly been thrown into the intensive care unit, with the people who voted for original CCC MPs in August general elections last year being the main losers.
Chamisa said:
"As you may be aware, the CCC idea was an idea we prayerfully conceived. The original idea meant to place Our God and the Citizens at the center of all decision making. This test was not passed and the purpose was not served.
"The original CCC idea has however been contaminated, bastardized, hijacked by ZANU PF through the abuse of State institutions. CCC has not been aligned to its founding Purpose and Mandate. Further, CCC has now been rendered an extension of and been taken over by ZANU PF.
"CCC has, to all intents and purposes, been criminally handed over to ZANU PF. Our politics has been defiled by schemes of personal aggrandisement upon a runaway pursuit of politics of positions, title, benefits, trinkets and trappings of office. A contaminated, bastardized, hijacked CCC cannot deliver a New Great Zimbabwe!
"But then God's grace is sufficient! Indeed God is in it.
7However, it is not like Zanu Pf is unconquerable, this Zanu Pf you see today, you will see it no more. Our God has opened a new way. Unfortunately, the road is narrow and I have to meet the demands of my assignment. The citizens of Zimbabwe will be set free from the hands of oppression.
"On account of the absence of any plan by the incumbent to resolve the Zimbabwe crisis, the solution to the problems affecting our beautiful and beloved country. Zimbabwe must return to legitimacy and majority happiness.
"We as the citizens are duty bound to find lasting answers to our perennial national questions. With what has happened to CCC, we need honest and accountable citizens in leadership. Stand ready to serve!
"I have been approached by war veterans, women's groups, youth groups, church leaders, traditional leaders, trade unions, civil society and even various leaders on the continent on the ways to find a lasting solution to our problems
as a nation.
"Various schemes and carrots have been dangled to entice the undermining of the cause for freedom. Some of us have refused silver coins in pursuit of the higher ideal- Happiness and Dignity for everyone. It is now clear to everyone that big money is finding into the pockets of some, who, on account of poverty and material desperation have succumbed to the temptation of enticement.
"The infiltration of CCC and our efforts to wrestle it out of capture, is to our utmost surprise but not unexpected, been denied through the judicial system-defying all logic and legal reasoning.
"We are being thrown into a river with hungry crocodiles, but clearly in our view I will refuse to swim in a river with hungry crocodiles. We need to extricate ourselves from the shenanigans. I will have nothing to do with sewer pond politics.
"We call upon all citizens to rally behind fresh politics, new politics and genuine fresh and credible leaders who want to serve and not to be served.
ZANU PF can take everything that we sweated for, take the party and its name, take the money and whoever is a beneficiary of this fraud, is a certified fraudster.
"This is to officially, and under my hand, inform you fellow citizens of Zimbabwe and the world, that, with immediate effect, I no longer have anything to do with CCC.
"As a patriot, I remain active in public service. I also remain a loyal citizen listener, freedom advocate, a citizens' champion and leader.
"My focus remains fully on Zimbabwe, asserting your victory, honoring the citizens mandate and God's calling to provide leadership.
"There are fresh things we need to do. Let's all work together for total freedom, true change and wholistic transformation for our beloved country. Giving up or giving in is not an option. Nothing comes without tenacity and resilience. Fellow citizens, you will be kept posted on the next step."
Chamisa also says the problem in Zimbabwe is also flawed elections and an illegitimate government led by people who manipulate and rob their way into power and remain there by authoritarian repression and corruption.
He says the hijacking of the CCC was fronted by a Zanu PF-controlled political fraudster, attacking Sengezo Tshabangu, who spearheaded the recalls that destroyed the opposition.
Source - online
