CITIZENS Coalition for Change (CCC) President Nelson Chamisa has announced his party’s disengagement from Parliament and Councils across the country in a terse statement that threatens to force government to its knees.
Chamisa’s statement follows controversial recalls of 15 legislators from his party based on what he says is a letter sent to Speaker of Parliament Jacob Mudenda by “a phony Sengezo Tshabangu” who claims to be the party’s Secretary General.
Speaking to journalists after CCC’s 18th Citizens National Assembly meeting Wednesday, Chamisa threatened to totally withdraw all of his elected Members of Parliament and Councillors if Mudenda does not ensure their return within 14 days.
“Until this issue is resolved CCC MPs, and councillors will disengage from Parliament and Councils,” said Chamisa.
“When we say disengage, we do not mean that they have withdrawn, we are saying no business will be transacted until remedy and justice are done through the mechanism we have agreed.
“We are putting on notice all key stakeholders including Civil Society, SADC, the African Union (AU) and the United Nations (UN) that we have a constitutional crisis and a disputed election in Zimbabwe.”
Mudenda acted on Tshabangu’s letter by communicating 15 vacancies to Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) despite a September 7 communication from Chamisa indicating none other than himself held authority to withdraw CCC members.
Chamisa lost presidency of MDC-T through similar machinisations, then by his former Secretary General Douglas Mwonzora who hence since disappeared from the political space.
“We have disengaged but withdrawal is also on the cards and even plunging the country into a deeper crisis because we already have a constitutional crisis but there is going to be a worse one if there is no justice on the issues that are at play. We can’t allow the same tactic and the same trick to be used twice,” he added.
CCC MPs were Tuesday engaged in running battles with anti-riot and Parliament police as they resisted Mudenda’s move to bar them from attending seatings.
Mudenda has since declared that his decision will not be challenged, highlighting that CCC’s only reprieve can come from courts of law.
Tshabangu’s letter Tuesday drew in claims he was working in cahoots with former legislator Tendai Biti who Tuesday dismissed the claims.
