HARARE – Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) leader Nelson Chamisa says by-elections to fill 14 National Assembly vacancies and 17 local authority seats are a ‘Muppet Show’ and his party will boycott them.
Chamisa’s declaration in an interview released Wednesday could put him at odds with some of his party’s representatives who were controversially recalled by a man who declared himself as the party’s interim secretary general.
Sengezo Tshabangu, dismissed as an impostor by Chamisa, has effectively hijacked the party. This week, he wrote to the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission stating that only he and two others are authorised to approve CCC candidates for the December 9 by-elections.
When asked if the recalled MPs and councillors would participate in the election, Chamisa said: “We’re not interested in side shows, the main show is the issue of having a proper government, a proper election, a legitimate government in Zimbabwe. All these things are side shows.
“As you look at us, do we look like characters that would participate in a Muppet Show?
“We should not waste time on unconstitutional acts; on criminal acts. We don’t participate in crime. It would be a different ball game had this position been created by a proper case of law. But you can’t criminally produce an imposter, a fraudster, a bogus recall which is not from CCC.”
The recalled MPs and councillors are challenging the legality of the process. The matter will be heard at the High Court on November 2.
Chamisa accused Zanu PF of selectively choosing to act on Tshabangu’s recalls while aware that he was not working for CCC.
“Everyone knows who CCC is but they choose to be dishonest, mendacious and malicious,” he said.
Tshabangu recalled 14 MPs, nine senators and 17 councillors just over a month after they were sworn-in following elections on August 23.
Tshabangu appeared to profit from the CCC’s lack of structures and a known constitution by imposing himself as interim secretary general.
