Members of the
CCC camp, led by Jameson Timba, are reportedly at each other’s throat as they
jostle for influence and proximity to Chamisa.
The CCC, formed
in January 2022, fractured into several camps following Chamisa’s resignation
last year.
Some members
rallied behind self-imposed secretary-general Sengezo Tshabangu while others
sided with Welshman Ncube.
Those, who
claim to be loyal to Chamisa stayed under Timba’s leadership.
However,
insiders say there is chaos in the Timba-led group.
Heated
exchanges, name-calling and public spats have become the order of the day, with
some members accusing rivals of being “Zanu PF proxies” masquerading as Chamisa
loyalists.
The internal
rifts have spilled to social media platforms, including WhatsApp groups and X,
where party activists are openly trading accusations and leaking private
conversations in an attempt to discredit one another.
“The infighting
is about who will be closest to Chamisa when he unveils his next political
project,” a source close to the developments said.
“People are
positioning themselves for influence, but it's turning ugly.”
The most
targeted are CCC legislators and councillors who remained in Parliament and
local authorities after Tshabangu initiated a series of controversial recalls
last year.
These officials
are accused by some party activists of siding with Tshabangu and Zanu PF,
despite claims of loyalty to Chamisa.
In one WhatsApp
group named CNA Social — which consists of prominent CCC supporters, several
former CCC MPs and councillors and party leaders — heated debate erupted over a
proposed “exclusion strategy” to sideline perceived sellouts.
The exchanges
reportedly turned extremely hostile resulting critics of the strategy being
removed from the group recently.
Some members
are being accused of using Chamisa's name to impose their ideas on the
electorate.
“We have
noticed that we have some comrades who have appointed themselves prefects and
policemen of mature people like us and they decide what we can or cannot post,”
a post in one of the party's social media groups read.
“That is
nonsense, and it stops now. You can't have people who abuse others and then
deny them the right to speak.
“We have people
who come to our provinces without our knowledge and impose their will . . . The
most painful thing is that the people who are silencing others were not elected
by us.”
“They do so
lying and abusing the name of our leader. Abusing his good name and good faith
for their gain.”
Contacted for
comment, Timba said the CCC camp had official communication platforms that were
governed by rules and regulations of the party.
“However, the
party cannot regulate the conduct of individuals in their private space because
that is regulated by the country's Bill of Rights,” he said.
“People have
freedom of speech. How do I stifle that when it is what I am fighting for?”
Chamisa has
remained vague about his next move, but sources within his inner circle say
plans for a new political platform are at an advanced stage.
The rising
factionalism in Timba's camp is being seen as a scramble for relevance ahead of
the launch. Newsday
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