Nelson Chamisa, the President of the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC), has announced his party’s withdrawal from Parliament and Councils across the country in a concise statement that poses a significant challenge to the government.
Chamisa’s announcement comes in response to the controversial removal of 15 legislators from his party, purportedly based on a letter sent to Speaker of Parliament Jacob Mudenda by an individual claiming to be the CCC’s Secretary General, Sengezo Tshabangu.
Addressing journalists following the CCC’s 18th Citizens National Assembly meeting on Wednesday, Chamisa issued an ultimatum, threatening a complete withdrawal of all elected Members of Parliament and Councillors if Mudenda fails to reinstate them within 14 days.
“Until this matter is resolved, CCC MPs and councillors will cease their participation in Parliament and Councils,” Chamisa declared.
“When we say ‘cease participation,’ we do not mean complete withdrawal; we are indicating that no business will be conducted until appropriate remedies and justice are achieved through the agreed-upon mechanisms. We hereby alert all significant stakeholders, including Civil Society, SADC, the African Union (AU), and the United Nations (UN), that Zimbabwe is facing a constitutional crisis and a disputed election.”
Mudenda took action based on Tshabangu’s letter, informing the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) of 15 vacancies, despite a communication from Chamisa on September 7 asserting that only he had the authority to withdraw CCC members.
Chamisa experienced a similar maneuver when he lost the presidency of the MDC-T, orchestrated by his former Secretary General, Douglas Mwonzora, who has since vanished from the political scene.
“We have decided to disengage, but complete withdrawal is also an option. This could further exacerbate the country’s existing constitutional crisis, which we are already facing. We will not allow the same tactics and tricks to be used twice,” Chamisa added.
CCC MPs engaged in clashes with anti-riot and Parliament police on Tuesday as they resisted Mudenda’s efforts to prevent them from attending parliamentary sessions.
Mudenda has asserted that his decision is final and can only be challenged in a court of law. Claims have emerged that Tshabangu’s letter on Tuesday was allegedly coordinated with former legislator Tendai Biti, who subsequently dismissed the claims.
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