Tshabangu attempts to recall Harare mayor, deputy, 7 councillors

0Shares

HARARE – Self-imposed Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) secretary general Sengezo Tshabangu has attempted to order further recalls on Harare mayor Ian Makone, his deputy Kudzai Kadzombe and seven other city councillors in a fresh round of expulsions threatening to throw the country’s main opposition into complete disarray.

In a letter sent to Local Government Minister Winston Chitando, dated 7 November 2023, Tshabangu claimed the targeted councillors “have ceased to be members of the Citizens Coalition for Change”.

His futile attempts surfaced a few hours after his recalling of the MPs was reversed by the court.

“Kindly be advised that the following councillors were under Citizens Coalition for Change political party and have ceased to be members of the Citizens Coalition for Change,” he wrote.

Tshabangu went on to list Makone (Ward 18) Kadzombe (Ward 41), Denford Ngadziore (Ward 16), Lovejoy Chitegu (Ward 36) and Samuel Gwenzi (Ward 5) among councillors targeted for the axe.

Added to the list were PR Councillors Chido Hamauswa, Tariboyi Sabina, Florence Cheza and Fadzai Matimba.

The recalls follow the recent ouster of 14 party MPs and councillors in different parts of the country by the controversial politician.

Tshabangu is adamant the targeted CCC representatives were imposed by party leader Nelson Chamisa when the opposition chief led his novel community consensus candidate selection process early this year to choose party representatives for the August 2023 elections.

Critics say Chamisa used the unprecedented substitute to party primaries to purge some party adversaries in place of loyalists in their positions.

The recalls, linked to a certain circle of disgruntled party politicians, are also seen as an attempt by President Emmerson Mnangagwa to decimate the opposition and create a defacto one-party-state.

@Tayers0 told Tshabangu: “Harare is not Bulawayo please note That, come we just need to see you there and explain your self who appoint you SG.”

@KDonkeni issued an even sterner warning: “Rufu rwako rwuri padhuze. Chero varoyi vajamuka.”

It is not clear who is behind Tshabangu but with by-elections scheduled for 9 December, some say no one will back him after he loses the elections to candidates fielded by CCC leader Nelson Chamisa.

The main opposition has split three times so far and on each occasion those who broke away from the party leader suffered defeats in subsequent elections.

First to break away was Welshman Ncube, then Tendai Biti and finally Douglas Mwonzora.

Opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai got even stronger after Ncube broke away though he was not able to contest elections after Biti broke away. Chamisa, who succeeded Tsvangirai, performed even better this year after Mwonzora broke away though he lost the presidential election.

Chamisa is challenging the result but did not go to court and instead wanted the Southern African Development Community to intervene and call fresh elections. SADC, however, said he must seek an internal solution.

Tendai Munyanduri, who says he is the president of the New Innovation and Modernization Front, says Tshabangu should just fight to get the Political Parties Finance from Chamisa, “then you will be rich like Mwonzora! 6 billion dollars every year, you will automatically be a billionaire! Buy property & rent it out!”.