Chin'ono challenges Chamisa

Journalist and filmmaker Hopewell Chin'ono has challenged former Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) leader Nelson Chamisa to produce the party's constitution and leadership organogram, arguing that Chamisa's lengthy response failed to address the central issue he had raised.

Chin'ono was responding to Chamisa's earlier statement in which the former opposition leader defended the CCC's organisational structure and accused the journalist of spreading falsehoods and misinformation.

In his latest response, Chin'ono disputed Chamisa's account of when and why the two stopped communicating.

"First, you and I did not stop speaking immediately after Dr Alex Magaisa died. That is not true," Chin'ono said.

He said their relationship broke down after Chamisa allegedly called him and claimed that then-jailed opposition politician Job Sikhala was working with General Constantino Chiwenga.

According to Chin'ono, Chamisa said the information had come from a Member of Parliament who had been imprisoned with Sikhala.

"That is when we disagreed and stopped communicating," Chin'ono said.

He said he had challenged Chamisa during the conversation, arguing that Sikhala should not be judged on the basis of unverified claims while he was in prison and unable to defend himself.

"I said that if you had concerns about Job Sikhala's supposed associations, you should wait until he was released from prison and speak to him directly," Chin'ono said.

However, Chin'ono said the personal history between him and Chamisa was not the substantive issue.

He maintained that his main question concerned whether the CCC had a constitution and formal leadership structures.

"I said that CCC had no constitution and no formal leadership organogram. You publicly accused me of lying," Chin'ono said.

He said Chamisa had previously maintained that a constitution existed and that there was an organogram identifying key leadership positions, including the president, vice-president, secretary-general and chairperson.

Chin'ono noted that Chamisa had also indicated that he would produce the documents to substantiate his claim.

"Yet your long response produces neither the constitution nor the organogram," he said.

He challenged Chamisa to provide documentary evidence rather than continue debating the issue through lengthy statements.

"If an authentic CCC constitution existed at the relevant time, produce the dated and officially adopted document," Chin'ono said.

"If a formal leadership organogram existed, produce the contemporaneous document showing the office-bearers and their positions."

Chin'ono argued that the responsibility to prove the existence of the documents rested with Chamisa because he was the person making the claim.

"The burden of proof lies with the person claiming that these documents existed. A lengthy response cannot substitute for the documents themselves, and changing the subject does not answer the question," he said.

He reiterated that their personal history was irrelevant to the dispute.

"Our personal history is not the issue. The issue is whether CCC had a legitimate constitution and a formal leadership structure," Chin'ono said.

The journalist concluded by challenging Chamisa to settle the dispute through documentary evidence rather than political rhetoric.

"You accused me of lying about that specific matter, so please provide the evidence supporting your accusation. This is a simple matter of evidence, not eloquence. Produce the constitution and the organogram," he said.

The exchange is the latest development in an increasingly public dispute between the two prominent figures, with their differing accounts highlighting broader questions over the organisational structure, leadership and internal governance of the CCC.