HARARE – Ousted Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) legislators Monday bravely filed for nomination to contest the February 3 by-elections under the banner of the main opposition despite the risk of being disqualified from the poll as did happen with their colleagues early this month.

The Nomination Court sat Monday at different centres around the country to receive papers from candidates in Pelandaba-Tshabalala, Mkoba North, Chegutu West, Zvimba East, Seke and Goromonzi South constituencies.

The by-elections were triggered by a controversial recall order on dozens of party MPs, Senators and councillors by self-styled party interim secretary general Sengezo Tshabangu.

Substantive MPs who were axed under the controversial recall order and are seeking a return were Gift Ostallos Siziba, Stephen Chatiza, Madzimbamuto Tapfumanei, Admore Chivero, Mutasa Oliver and Chibaya Amos.

CCC MPs who filed under the party’s name in the December 9 by-elections were barred from contesting the poll by ZEC after Tshabangu filed a court application to have them blocked from contesting under CCC.

They could not file as independent candidates either as the Nomination Court had long concluded the process.

Faced with the dilemma of contesting as independent candidates, the second batch of ousted legislators seeing a quick return to the august house stood defiant and filed under CCC.

Commenting on the decision to file under CCC, party deputy spokesperson Ostallos Siziba said anything different would have handed Tshabangu undeserved victory.

“We can’t surrender a party we founded to a tortoise working for Zanupf!” he said, in a social media post.

In another social media post, Promise Mkwananzi was more blunt, insisting the ban on recalled party candidates to contest the poll under CCC was suspended by a Supreme Court appeal filed thereafter.

“There is a misconstrued narrative that our candidates should have contested as independent because of the court order that barred 9 of our parliamentary candidates of the 9th of December 2023.

“This is a false narrative. We appealed against that Judgement which we believe was grossly misdirected. The effect of our appeal is that that order has been suspended pending the determination of our appeal by the Supreme Court.

“We have appealed against all judgements that have been made thus far. The effect of our appeals is therefore that all the Judgements are of no effect. They have been suspended pending determination of the Supreme Court,” Mkwananzi said.

Just like in the past by-elections held December 9, there were cases of CCC double candidate fielding by those loyal to party leader Nelson Chamisa and those coalescing under Tshabangu’s camp.

In Pelandaba-Tshabalala, Siziba filed for nomination together with Moreblessing Tembo who is loyal to Tshabangu.

However, in a case that smacks of an act of both caution and a dismissal of the party’s position, Willard Madzimbamuto chose to file as an Independent in Seke.

Madzimbamutio faces Zanu PF’s Munyaradzi Kashambe and Everisto Chisi, who is loyal to Tshabangu’s CCC.

In the December 9 poll, Zanu PF inched closer to recovering its two thirds majority after gaining seven National Assembly seats from the nine constituencies in a poll that was marred by a low voter turnout.