CCC councillors snub Tshabangu

Councillors from the Citizen Coalition for Change (CCC) in Chinhoyi largely boycotted a meeting convened last week by the party's self-proclaimed secretary-general, Sengezo Tshabangu, amid deep factional divisions within the party.

In a memo dated July 16, Tshabangu called on all CCC councillors to attend a meeting scheduled for Friday, aimed at addressing a series of negative media reports concerning the city council's activities.

"Following several negative media reports about goings-on at your council, I am writing to you to notify you of an urgent meeting to look into these issues in detail and proffer long-lasting solutions," Tshabangu wrote.

Despite the summons, only two of the ten elected CCC councillors turned up for the meeting. Among those present were embattled mayor Owen Charuza and his deputy Chipo Mlotswa. However, the event failed to proceed as a formal meeting.

Tshabangu's provincial faction member, Tendayi Musonza, confirmed the poor attendance but insisted that the gathering was not an official meeting, explaining, "It was not a meeting because it was not cleared by the police."

Meanwhile, six councillors aligned with the James Timba-led CCC faction organised a rival meeting on the same day to counter Tshabangu's faction. This faction remains loyal to former CCC president Nelson Chamisa, who recently exited the party after losing control.

Dyke Makumbe, a member of the Timba faction, said the majority of progressive councillors chose to attend the alternative meeting, viewing it as more aligned with Chamisa's vision. "Most progressive councillors desired to side with the people waiting for the launch of the movement to be led by Nelson Chamisa," Makumbe said.

Two councillors, Richard Vhitirinyu and David Malunga, opted to remain neutral, skipping both meetings.

Mayor Charuza explained that he declined to attend the Timba faction's gathering due to a vague and "threatening" invitation letter that lacked key details such as the meeting's agenda and venue. "The invitation didn't have a venue and no agenda and was followed by a threat. Why does it sound threatening rather than a meeting to clear the differences in council right now?" he questioned.

The ongoing feud between the Tshabangu faction and the Timba faction reflects broader tensions within the CCC. Tshabangu seized control of the party from its founding leader Nelson Chamisa and recalled several councillors and legislators, triggering costly by-elections that ultimately handed Zanu PF a two-thirds majority in local government.

Chamisa subsequently left the CCC, further deepening the party's internal divisions and complicating its ability to present a united front in opposition politics.