Chamisa ally warns opposition over infiltration

FORMER Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) deputy spokesperson Gift Ostallos Siziva has warned Zimbabwe's opposition movements to strengthen their internal security and verification systems following the appointment of former CCC official Brilliant Dube as a senator by President Emmerson Mnangagwa.

Dube, who previously served as CCC leader Nelson Chamisa's director of protocol and elections, was among 10 senators appointed by Mnangagwa under constitutional changes that expanded the President's powers.

Her appointment has attracted attention because she was previously associated with the Constitution Defenders Forum, which opposed the constitutional amendment that paved the way for the presidential appointments.

Siziva, who was a prominent CCC legislator and deputy spokesperson, said the developments should be viewed in the broader context of infiltration of opposition movements.

"Infiltration is a serious challenge faced by movements and institutions across the world and is an unavoidable reality in Securocratic states," Siziva said.

He argued that intelligence and security agencies routinely seek to infiltrate opposition movements and that political organisations therefore need mechanisms to protect themselves.

"Infiltration cannot always be prevented but strong movements must develop systems to identify, vet and counter it, while ensuring that information is properly verified before decisions are made," he said.

Siziva said any serious opposition movement seeking to challenge Zanu PF and establish a democratic Zimbabwe would need to invest in intelligence, counter-intelligence and institutional security.

"Going forward, any serious movement seeking to defeat the regime in Harare and build a democratic Zimbabwe will have to invest in intelligence, counter-intelligence, institutional security and robust information-verification systems," he said.

He stressed that such measures should not be interpreted as paranoia but as necessary safeguards for political organisations operating in a hostile environment.

"This is not about paranoia, it is about building resilient institutions capable of protecting themselves from manipulation and infiltration," Siziva said.

His comments come amid renewed debate over the collapse of the CCC, which was formed and led by Chamisa but became embroiled in internal disputes, recalls, competing claims to party leadership and allegations of infiltration.

Siziva said whatever had happened should provide lessons for opposition actors rather than becoming a source of further division.

"Whatever has happened in this case should therefore serve as a valuable lesson to all of us who genuinely remain committed to building a Zimbabwe free from ZANU-PF misrule," he said.

"We must learn, strengthen our institutions and become wiser in how we organise."

Dube's appointment has also added another dimension to the continuing debate over the political fallout from the CCC's collapse and the role of individuals who were previously closely associated with Chamisa's opposition movement.