In a shocking turn of events, the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) has allegedly expelled its founder and former president, Nelson Chamisa, amidst a slew of allegations including embezzlement of party funds, power personalization, and collaboration with rival political forces.
The party, which was formed in early 2022 and gained significant traction leading up to the 2023 Harmonized Elections, now faces an uncertain future.
Expulsion Amidst Allegations
Nelson Chamisa, who held the title of “Change Champion in Chief,” was shown the door by controversial, self-proclaimed CCC’s Interim Secretary General Sengezo Tshabangu. Tshabangu’s statement, which has been widely circulated on social media, cited several reasons for Chamisa’s expulsion, including financial impropriety.
Part of the statement reads,
“Advocate Nelson Chamisa has been expelled for personalizing the party as well as his continued gross disregard of the party constitution amongst other issues, including embezzlement of party funds.”
Among the allegations are the disappearance of substantial sums of money intended for various party purposes. Tshabangu detailed,
“Last year a total of USD $120,000 was raised for Advocate Nelson Chamisa’s bulletproof car, and the money disappeared.” Furthermore, USD $300,000 received from international organizations for legal fees also allegedly vanished.
Chamisa Accused of Personalization and Collaboration
Tshabangu’s statement further accused Chamisa of personalizing the party to an extent where it operated at his discretion. He noted,
“Chamisa has made the party his personal property and it is now running at his own discretion. The party symbol is his face, he makes all crucial decisions by himself and now the party is serving his personal interests, and we cannot allow that.”
Additionally, there were allegations of collaboration with ZANU PF and former ZANU PF members, resulting in an infiltration that had “high-jacked” the party.
Biti Denies Leadership Role
Amidst this turmoil, Tendai Biti, a prominent figure within the CCC, has distanced himself from any leadership role in the party. Despite Tshabangu’s announcement that Biti, alongside Professor Welshman Ncube, would act as co-presidents, Biti took to social media to clarify his position. He firmly stated,
“I am not the President of any political party. I refuse to be drawn into this mess. May my privacy and dignity be respected.”
Biti’s decision to distance himself from the party leadership adds further complexity to the already tumultuous situation within the CCC.
