Zimbabwe’s main opposition party, the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC), is in turmoil, risking a comedy turning into tragedy.
The party, already bruised from alleging irregularities in the last election, now faces by-elections with its own candidates potentially missing from the ballot.
The crisis involves internal expulsions and recalls by Sengezo Tshabangu, who claims to be the party’s interim secretary-general.
The CCC leader, Nelson Chamisa, dismisses Tshabangu as a fake, but the Speaker declared vacancies in constituencies, leading to by-elections. Tshabangu, accused of being a Zanu-PF proxy, alleges issues with CCC candidate selection and personalizes his loyalty to Chamisa.
Critics blame Chamisa’s leadership style for the party’s internal strife. The situation has led to violence, with the death of a CCC campaigner. Despite the chaos, Zanu-PF sees an opportunity to secure a two-thirds majority in parliament through by-election victories.
The upcoming polls will determine the political landscape in Zimbabwe, and the CCC urgently appeals to the Supreme Court to reinstate its candidates. Zanu-PF, meanwhile, campaigns aggressively to capitalize on the opposition’s woes.
The political instability adds to the challenges faced by Zimbabweans, who had hoped for positive change in the previous election but are now witnessing a fractured opposition and potential power shifts. This summary is based on a report from BBC News.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-67647449