Chamisa unveiled the CCC in January this year after his
nemesis Douglas Mwonzora snatched the MDC Alliance party, including its symbols
and emblems from him.
The CCC is yet to come up with a constitution and official
structures.
Chamisa has previously resisted calls to formalise the
party through an elective congress and constitution.
He has also said there is no party member with an official
position, saying the CCC is a citizen’s movement.
Party sources told The Standard that there is a change of
heart with plans to officially launch the party now in motion.
CCC deputy spokesperson Gift Ostallos Siziba confirmed the
development, but could not disclose the exact date of the launch saying they
feared infiltration by state agents and Zanu PF spies.
“We are ready to launch CCC very soon," Siziba told
The Standard in an interview.
“Chamisa is qualitatively and quantitatively the most
popular, most loved and most preferred leader.
“President Chamisa is by far the preferred choice in
options for the next president."
Siziba said party members were informed of the upcoming
launch, and Chamisa as an uncontested leader during a meeting held in the capital
last week.
“We held our meeting last week in Harare with all the point
persons from all over the country, our change champions from all over the
country working in community to inform the people on our path to launch the
movement,” he said.
“We met to get reports on voters' roll, delimitation and
voter registration in the countryside preparedness. There’s excitement in the
rank and file.”
In resisting calls to formalise the party, the CCC has
argued that structures have been previously used by the ruling Zanu PF party
and suspected state agents to infiltrate and destabilise the opposition.
Exiled minister Jonathan Moyo has led the criticism over
the lack of structures in the CCC.
At one point, he said the CCC was operating like a ‘secret
society’ as he called for the regulation of all political parties in the
country.
Siziba said they did not want to succumb to ‘sponsored
narratives’ by critics such as Moyo.
“Our launch will be a confirmation beyond any doubt that we
are new in form, character and strategy,” he said.
“We have been building the alternative from below and now
we are satisfied to a greater degree that we are ready to unleash the citizens'
potential in a bid to win Zimbabwe for change.
“We have built networks domestically with key players and
internationally we have made our case beyond any doubt.
“We have had to build our electoral infrastructure to the
level and extent that we got 61% of the total by-election outcome."
Political analysts were divided on having Chamisa going to
the official launch of the CCC as an uncontested presidential candidate.
Political analyst Vivid Gwede said it was
"logical" for Chamisa to stand as the presidential candidate as the
founding CCC leader.
"Chamisa is the founder of the party who objectively
is popular as confirmed by the 2018 elections and the recent Afrobarometer
survey," Gwede said.
“The endorsement by party members is crucial in securing
broader consensus around that candidature. A founding leader such as Chamisa
can only be challenged at congress."
University of Zimbabwe political science lecturer Eldred
Masunungure said this was against the principles of democracy.
“Political party leaders do not want to take the risk of
being booted out," Masunungure said.
"Going to an
election uncontested internally is a risk-prevention strategy.
“But it points to the shrinkage of democracy. It raises
issues of transparency, and democratic credentials.
“To barricade a leader against democratic choices of
supporters is against the principles of democracy as members should have
freedom to choose the leaders they want. Standard
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