Hwende criticises 'cruel and inconsiderate' Chamisa

Chalton Hwende has criticised his former political ally Nelson Chamisa, describing him as “cruel and inconsiderate” in relation to the ongoing opposition struggle in Zimbabwe.

Hwende, who is the Member of Parliament for Kuwadzana East and previously served as secretary-general in both the MDC Alliance and later the CCC, was once a close associate of Chamisa dating back to their student activism days at Harare Polytechnic in the late 1990s.

He rose through the ranks alongside Chamisa during the evolution of the MDC-T, MDC Alliance and CCC political formations, often playing a senior administrative role within the party structures.

However, following the 2023 elections, Hwende distanced himself from Chamisa, who later resigned from the CCC in early 2024, triggering internal disputes within the opposition party.

Hwende subsequently aligned himself with a CCC faction linked to Sengezo Tshabangu, amid a period of contested leadership and parliamentary recalls that reshaped the party's caucus in Parliament.

The latest remarks underscore continuing tensions and fragmentation within opposition ranks as former allies publicly trade criticism over the direction of the movement.