News / National
Markham follows Nelson Chamisa out of CCC
04 Feb 2024 at 12:43hrs | Views
Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) Harare East MP Allan Rusty Markham has resigned from parliament in solidarity with Nelson Chamisa, who quit as leader of the main opposition last month citing a relentless siege on his party by the state.
Markham became the second lawmaker to resign in the wake of Chamisa's decision to quit as leader.
Fadzayi Mahere was the first to resign her Mt Pleasant seat, while protesting the recall of MPs by Sengezo Tshabangu, the Zanu-PF-supported "CCC interim secretary general. "
In a resignation letter to Parliament dated February 2, 2024, and shared on X, Markham said he had quit the National Assembly with immediate effect.
"I am currently the sitting Member of Parliament for Harare East constituency, having been elected on the 23rd of August 2023, standing under the Citizens Coalition for Change Party lead by President Nelson Chamisa. I write to tender my resignation from Parliament with immediate effect, as required under by section 129(1)(b) of the constitution of Zimbabwe," wrote Markham.
Markham has also advised Harare East residents that he was also resigning from CCC, saying the party has been infiltrated and no longer represents what he stands for.
"For a long time now, I have been grappling with the issues pertaining to the shutdown of the democratic space in Zimbabwe. This has led to a lot of soul searching pertaining to the future," he wrote.
"Recent events within the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) party have pushed me to make the firm decision that I no longer represent the CCC in any form whatsoever. I believe that the party has been infiltrated to an extent that it does not represent what I stand for.
"The choreographed support by the judiciary and the Zimbabwe Electoral commission to the self appointed and unknown interim secretary general is a testament to how desperate the regime wants to shut down the democratic space.
"I therefore reiterate that I cannot be and will not be associating with anything to do with the CCC from here on."
Markham said democratic space in parliament has been shut down completely and parliament has been rendered a "tick the box" institution and has no oversight at all over the executive and ministries.
"After consultation with residents and hearing both sides of the argument (to remain or to leave parliament), I have opted to leave parliament as my conscience will not allow me to remain as a Member of Parliament. As a result, my resignation letter was handed in before noon on Friday the 2nd of February," he said.
Markham won the Harare East constituency seat in the disputed August 23, 2023, election under the CCC.
Markham became the second lawmaker to resign in the wake of Chamisa's decision to quit as leader.
Fadzayi Mahere was the first to resign her Mt Pleasant seat, while protesting the recall of MPs by Sengezo Tshabangu, the Zanu-PF-supported "CCC interim secretary general. "
In a resignation letter to Parliament dated February 2, 2024, and shared on X, Markham said he had quit the National Assembly with immediate effect.
"I am currently the sitting Member of Parliament for Harare East constituency, having been elected on the 23rd of August 2023, standing under the Citizens Coalition for Change Party lead by President Nelson Chamisa. I write to tender my resignation from Parliament with immediate effect, as required under by section 129(1)(b) of the constitution of Zimbabwe," wrote Markham.
Markham has also advised Harare East residents that he was also resigning from CCC, saying the party has been infiltrated and no longer represents what he stands for.
"Recent events within the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) party have pushed me to make the firm decision that I no longer represent the CCC in any form whatsoever. I believe that the party has been infiltrated to an extent that it does not represent what I stand for.
"The choreographed support by the judiciary and the Zimbabwe Electoral commission to the self appointed and unknown interim secretary general is a testament to how desperate the regime wants to shut down the democratic space.
"I therefore reiterate that I cannot be and will not be associating with anything to do with the CCC from here on."
Markham said democratic space in parliament has been shut down completely and parliament has been rendered a "tick the box" institution and has no oversight at all over the executive and ministries.
"After consultation with residents and hearing both sides of the argument (to remain or to leave parliament), I have opted to leave parliament as my conscience will not allow me to remain as a Member of Parliament. As a result, my resignation letter was handed in before noon on Friday the 2nd of February," he said.
Markham won the Harare East constituency seat in the disputed August 23, 2023, election under the CCC.
Source - zimlive
