Citizens Coalition for Change

Last updated

Citizens Coalition for Change
Secretary-General Sengezo Tshabangu
President (Disputed) Welshman Ncube [1]
Jameson Timba [2]
Founder Nelson Chamisa
Founded22 January 2022 (22 January 2022)
Split from Movement for Democratic Change Alliance
HeadquartersHarare
Ideology Social democracy [3]
Christian democracy [4]
Liberal democracy [5] [6] [7]
Civic nationalism [8] [9]
Left-wing nationalism [10]
Social conservatism [11]
Anti-corruption [12]
Political position Centre-left [13]
Colours Yellow
National Assembly
82 / 280
Senate
22 / 80
Pan-African Parliament
0 / 5
Website
www.ccczimbabwe.com

The Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) is a Zimbabwean political party. It was established by former members of the Movement for Democratic Change Alliance. [14] [15]

Contents

Background

Nelson Chamisa formed Citizens Coalition for Change after losing [16] the squabbles over party name "MDC Alliance". The president of the CCC party presented yellow as the new color and raising the index finger as the new symbol. [17] CCC has no constitution. A way to avoid being bound by its supremacy as it was in MDC. After forming the party, most MDC Alliance MPs and councilors who showed allegiance to Chamisa were recalled from parliament by Douglas Mwonzora, who took over MDC Alliance. This, together with some deaths of officials, called for by-elections in 28 seats which were conducted on 26 March 2022 in which the newly formed CCC won 19 and ZANU–PF won 9. [18] It is worthy noting that ZANU-PF gained 9 more parliamentary seats since 2018. The rump MDC Alliance which Mwonzora headed did not win a seat. Weeks before the by-election saw some government-sponsored violence against CCC (including violence at CCC rally in Kwekwe which led to the death of a party supporter)[ citation needed ], unjustified behavior from the Zimbabwe Republic Police which include banning of CCC rallies, beating up of party supporters, arrests of CCC party officials (of note, Tendai Biti and Madzibaba Veshanduko), etc.[ citation needed ]


2023 Recall of Members of Parliament

After forming the party in 2022, the interim leader Nelson Chamisa refused to craft an interim constitution and party structures. At its formation, the CCC party had the president of the CCC party Nelson Chamisa as the sole office holder. Taking advantage of this lack of organization (lack of interim constitution and party structures), a one Sengezo Tshabangu started claiming that he was the interim secretary general of the party. It has been suggested that he represents an agitated group old generation of MDC Alliance who were sidelined by Nelson Chamisa, most notably Tendai Biti and Welshman Ncube who were VPs in the MDC Alliance. However, so far these suggestions have not been proven. Some have suggested that Tshabangu represents a shadowy group called FAZ that runs shady electorals tasks for the ruling ZANU–PF. However, this has also been a subject of conjecture. On 3 October 2022, Tshabangu wrote letters to the speaker of the parliament, president of the senate, and minister of local government recalling recalling MPs, senators and councillors who were elected on the CCC ticket. He submitted his own credentials and interim constitution to the parliament and ZEC, which essentially meant he was now the bona fide leader of the party. The letters were accepted and the MPs, senators and councillors were recalled. The recalled MPs, Senators and Councillors approached the high court of Zimbabwe claiming that Tshabangu was not a member of the CCC party moreso the secretary general. However, they couldn't provide any proof that Tshabangu was not the secretary general since the party has no constitution, party member list, or even minutes of their meetings. So in essence, Sengezo Tshabangu took control of the CCC party after the high court judgement. The recalled MPs, Senators and Councillors approached the supreme court of Zimbabwe, however their case is mot likely to be thrown out since they dont have proof that Sengezo Tshabangu is not the secretary general of the CCC party since the party had no interim constitution, party structures or minutes of their meetings. At the same time the CCC party has approached the high court interdicting Tshabangu from using its party name, symbols and claiming to be the secretary general, however their case will also be thrown out since they dont have proof that Sengezo Tshabangu is not the secretary general of the CCC party since the party had no interim constitution, party structures or minutes of their meetings. Instead Sengezo Tshabangu has submitted an interim constitution of the party which means he is now the bona fide leader of the party.

Chamisa resigned on 27 January 2024, he resigned, citing government interference that has "contaminated" and "hijacked" his party, the CCC. [19]

Post Chamisa Era

After Nelson Chamisa resigned as party president and member of the CCC, other members who were loyal to him also left the party. Among the notable departures were Rusty Markham and Fadzayi Mahere. [20] In February 2024 it was announced that Welshman Ncube will serve as interim party leader on a 90-day rotational arrangement with Tendai Biti and Lynette Karenyi-Kore until the party holds its elective congress. [21]

Electoral history

Presidential elections

ElectionParty candidateVotesPercentageVotesPercentageResult
First RoundSecond Round
2023 Nelson Chamisa 1,967,24344.03%Lost Red x.svg

House of Assembly elections

ElectionParty leaderVotes%Seats+/–PositionResult
2022 (by-election) Nelson Chamisa
19 / 28
Increase2.svg 19New.png 1stOpposition
2023 1,856,39341.46
103 / 280
Increase2.svg 103Decrease2.svg 2ndOpposition
2023 (by-election)
2 / 10
Decrease2.svg 8
2024 (by-election) Unknown
0 / 6
Decrease2.svg 6

Senate elections

ElectionParty leaderSeats+/–PositionResult
2023 Nelson Chamisa
27 / 80
Increase2.svg 27New.png 2ndOpposition

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tendai Biti</span> Zimbabwean politician

Tendai Laxton Biti is a Zimbabwean politician who served as Finance Minister of Zimbabwe from 2009 to 2013. He is the second Vice President of Citizens Coalition for Change. He was the Secretary-General of the Movement for Democratic Change and the subsequent Movement for Democratic Change – Tsvangirai (MDC-T) political parties and a Member of Parliament for Harare East until he was expelled from the party and recalled from parliament in mid-2014,before winning the seat again in 2018.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nelson Chamisa</span> Zimbabwean politician (born 1978)

Nelson Chamisa is a Zimbabwean politician and the former President of the Citizens Coalition For Change. He served as Member of the House of Assembly of Zimbabwe for Kuwadzana East, Harare. Chamisa was the MDC Alliance's candidate for president in the 2018 general election, having previously been the leader of the party's youth assembly. He has served as the former chairperson of national youth for the same party as well as the Secretary for Information and Publicity for the opposition party Movement for Democratic Change (MDC). In 2003, at the age of 25, Chamisa became the youngest Member of Parliament. Chamisa was also the youngest cabinet minister in Government of National Unity of Zimbabwe in 2009.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thokozani Khuphe</span> Zimbabwean politician and trade unionist

Thokozani Khupe is a Zimbabwean politician, trade unionist and CCC party member. She was Deputy Prime Minister 2009–13.

Bulawayo South is a constituency represented in the National Assembly of the Parliament of Zimbabwe, located in Bulawayo. Its current MP since a 2023 by-election is Raj Modi of ZANU–PF. Notable former MPs for the constituency include Eddie Cross and David Coltart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Movement for Democratic Change – Tsvangirai</span> Political party in Zimbabwe

The Movement for Democratic Change – Tsvangirai (MDC–T) is a centre-left political party and was the main opposition party in the House of Assembly of Zimbabwe ahead of the 2018 elections. After the split of the original Movement for Democratic Change in 2005, the MDC–T remained the major opposition faction, while a smaller faction, the Movement for Democratic Change – Ncube, or MDC–N, was led by Welshman Ncube.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2018 Zimbabwean general election</span>

General elections were held in Zimbabwe on 30 July 2018 to elect the President and members of both houses of Parliament. Held eight months after the 2017 coup d'état, the election was the first since independence in which former President Robert Mugabe was not a candidate.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">People's Democratic Party (Zimbabwe)</span> Zimbabwean political party

The People's Democratic Party (PDP) was a political party in Zimbabwe. It was launched in September 2015 after a faction broke away from the Movement for Democratic Change – Tsvangirai. At their breakaway in 2014 they initially called themselves Movement for Democratic Change – Renewal. The president of the party was Tendai Biti, a former minister of finance of Zimbabwe serving in the Morgan Tsvangirai government 2009–2013. The party split in September 2017 over Tendai Biti and other party officials joining the MDC Alliance electoral bloc, with a breakaway faction being led by Lucia Matibenga in an interim capacity. After the 2018 election, the Tendai Biti-led faction of the PDP re-united with other splinter groups of the original MDC to form a single party under the original name Movement for Democratic Change (MDC).

The Movement for Democratic Change Alliance is an electoral coalition of seven political parties formed to contest Zimbabwe's 2018 general election. After the 2018 election, a dispute arose over the use of the name MDC Alliance leading the MDC Alliance leader Nelson Chamisa to found the Citizens Coalition for Change.

Zvimba East is a constituency represented the National Assembly of the Parliament of Zimbabwe, located in Zvimba District in Mashonaland West Province. The seat is currently vacant following the November 2023 recall of Oliver Mutasa, the constituency's MP since the 2023 election. A by-election is scheduled to take place in February 2024.

Allan Norman "Rusty" Markham is a Zimbabwean farmer and politician who was elected to the National Assembly of Zimbabwe for Harare North in the 2018 general election as a member of the MDC Alliance. He crossed the floor to the newly formed Citizens Coalition for Change and was elected Member of Parliament for the neighbouring Harare East constituency in the 2023 general election.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Harare City Council</span> Harare city council

The Harare City Council is the local governing body of Harare, the capital of Zimbabwe. It is composed of 46 councillors, each representing a different ward. It is headed by the mayor of Harare, who is assisted by a deputy mayor. The current mayor is Ian Makone of the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC), and the deputy mayor is Kudzai Mazhombe.

Herbert Thomas Gomba is a Zimbabwean politician who served as mayor of Harare from 2018 to 2020. He has been a member of the Harare City Council since 2008 representing Ward 27, which covers parts of the Glen Norah suburb. Gomba was elected and sworn in as mayor on 3 September 2018, but was recalled from the City Council on 14 August 2020 amid factional disputes within the Movement for Democratic Change Alliance. He was reelected to the City Council in a March 2022 by-election as a Citizens Coalition for Change candidate.

Beitbridge West is a constituency represented in the National Assembly of the Parliament of Zimbabwe, located in Beitbridge District in Matabeleland South Province. It is currently represented since a December 2023 by-election by Thusani Ndou of ZANU–PF.

Maxwell Mavhunga is a Zimbabwean politician who has been Member of Parliament (MP) for Chitungwiza South in the Harare Province since 2018. Elected as a member of the MDC Alliance, he joined the Citizens Coalition for Change in 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2023–2024 Zimbabwean by-elections</span> 2023/2024 by-elections in Zimbabwe

By-elections were held in Zimbabwe on 11 November 2023, on 9 December 2023 and on 3 February 2024 to fill vacancies in the National Assembly and in local government. The by-elections were triggered by Sengezo Tshabangu, who claimed to be the interim Secretary-General of the Citizens Coalition for Change, when he recalled nine constituency legislators, six proportional representative women’s quota and senators and seventeen councilors mainly from Bulawayo, one of the party's strongholds.

Pashor Raphael Sibanda is a Zimbabwean politician who was elected to the National Assembly of Zimbabwe in the 2023 general election. He represented the constituency of Cowdray Park as a member of the Citizens Coalition for Change. In October 2023, Sibanda and a group of CCC MPs were expelled from Parliament following a letter by Sengezo Tshabangu, who claimed to be interim secretary-general of the CCC.

Morgan Ncube is a Zimbabwean politician who served as the Member of Parliament for Beitbridge West as a member of the Citizens Coalition for Change between September and October 2023. He formerly served as the mayor of Beitbridge in Matabeleland South from 2018 to 2020 as a member of the MDC Alliance.

Sengezo Tshabangu is a Zimbabwean politician.He is an interim Secretary General of the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) In October 2023, he recalled fifteen parliamentarians and seventeen councilors, including Masvingo's mayor, citing they were no longer party members in October. He went on to recall a further nine councilors, including Harare mayor Ian Makoni and his deputy on 9 November 2023.

Prince Dubeko Sibanda is a Zimbabwean politician who was elected in the 2018 general election to represent the constituency of Binga North in the National Assembly as a member of the MDC Alliance. He was recalled as an MP by MDC-T Secretary General Douglas Mwonzora in October 2020. Sibanda joined the Citizens Coalition for Change and won the seat back in a by-election on 26 March 2022.

Munyaradzi Febion Kufahakutizwi is a Zimbabwean politician who served as the Member of the National Assembly of Zimbabwe for Mabvuku-Tafara between September and October 2023 as a member of the Citizens Coalition for Change.

References

  1. "Chamisa's ally throws tantrum over CCC new leadership".
  2. "Timba led CCC faction issues chilling threat against MPS as opposition rift deepens". 20 February 2024.
  3. "Zimbabwe: Chamisa Bemoans Zimbabwe's Extreme Poverty Levels" . Retrieved 23 August 2023.
  4. "Zimbabwe: Zim Elections - CCC Vows to Run Country On Christian Values". New Zimbabwe. 11 August 2023. Retrieved 23 August 2023.
  5. "Opposition leader says Zimbabwe's voters forced to choose ruling party or death". PBS . 4 August 2023. Retrieved 23 August 2023.
  6. "Zimbabwe's Opposition Criticizes Signing of 'Patriotic Law'" . Retrieved 23 August 2023.
  7. "Can Nelson Chamisa deliver a new Zimbabwe?" . Retrieved 23 August 2023.
  8. "I'm more patriotic than ED: Chamisa" . Retrieved 23 August 2023.
  9. "Zimbabwe's hope: A wind of change to democracy". 5 July 2023. Retrieved 23 August 2023.
  10. "Zimbabwe's hope: A wind of change to democracy" . Retrieved 23 August 2023.
  11. ""God created Adam and Eve not Adam and Steve.I thank God for the template!"-Nelson Chamisa" . Retrieved 23 August 2023.
  12. "Zimbabwe elections: Has Chamisa found a chink in Mnangagwa's armour?" . Retrieved 23 August 2023.
  13. "Africa Elects" . Retrieved 23 August 2023.
  14. Ntali, Elia (24 January 2022). "Breaking News: Chamisa Rebounds With New Party Name".
  15. Media, Gambakwe (24 January 2022). "BREAKING: Chamisa announces new party name - Citizens Coalition for Change".
  16. "Zimlii". ZimLii. 15 May 2022. Archived from the original on 26 May 2022. Retrieved 15 May 2022.
  17. Newsday (24 January 2022). "Chamisa party rebrands". NewsDay Zimbabwe. Retrieved 8 February 2022.
  18. "Zimbabwean opposition party wins majority in by-elections". 28 March 2022.
  19. "Nelson Chamisa: Zimbabwe opposition CCC leader quits 'contaminated' party". 25 January 2024.
  20. "Zimbabwe politics | MPs quit in solidarity with Chamisa - eNCA". www.enca.com. 12 February 2024. Retrieved 18 February 2024.
  21. Reporter, Staff (17 February 2024). "Chamisa's ally throws tantrum over CCC new leadership". The Zimbabwe Mail. Retrieved 18 February 2024.