Axed MPs file for nomination under CCC in double candidate fiasco
By Staff Reporter
Troubled opposition Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) was again tangled up in a double candidate debacle Monday when ousted legislators loyal to party leader Nelson Chamisa and those faithful to a rival camp led by Sengezo Tshabangu both filed for nomination under the main opposition’s name.
But focus centred on recalled MP’s defiant decision to file for nomination to contest the February 3 by-elections under CCC when their colleagues who were in the first batch of ousted lawmakers were blocked from taking part in the December 9 poll following a court order.
The Nomination Court sat Monday at different centres around the country to accept papers from candidates in Pelandaba-Tshabalala, Mkoba North, Chegutu West, Zvimba East, Seke and Goromonzi South constituencies.
Substantive MPs who were ousted under Tshabangu’s recall order were Gift Ostallos Siziba, Stephen Chatiza, Madzimbamuto Tapfumanei, Admore Chivero, Mutasa Oliver and Chibaya Amos.
All are seeking a quick return to the august house in the February poll.
They were confronted with the dilemma of contesting as independent candidates or as CCC. They bravely sought the latter.
Commenting on the decision to file under CCC, party deputy spokesperson Ostallos Siziba said anything different would have handed Tshabangu victory on a silver platter.
“We can’t surrender a party we founded to a tortoise working for Zanupf!” he quipped.
Promise Mkwananzi insisted the ban on party candidates to contest the poll under CCC was suspended by a Supreme Court appeal filed thereafter.
“There is a misconstrued narrative that our candidates should have contested as independent because of the court order that barred 9 of our parliamentary candidates of the 9th of December 2023.
“This is a false narrative. We appealed against that Judgement which we believe was grossly misdirected. The effect of our appeal is that that order has been suspended pending the determination of our appeal by the Supreme Court.
“We have appealed against all judgements that have been made thus far. The effect of our appeals is therefore that all the Judgements are of no effect. They have been suspended pending determination of the Supreme Court,” Mkwananzi said.
Just like in the December 9 by-election, there were cases of CCC double candidate fielding by the rival camps.
In Pelandaba-Tshabalala, Siziba filed for nomination together with Moreblessing Tembo who is loyal to Tshabangu.
However, in a case that smacks of an act of both caution and defiance of a party position, Madzimbamuto chose to file as an Independent in Seke.
Madzimbamutio faces Zanu PF’s Munyaradzi Kashambe and Everisto Chisi, who is loyal to Tshabangu’s CCC.
In the December 9 poll, Zanu PF inched closer to recovering its two thirds majority after gaining seven National Assembly seats from the nine constituencies in a poll that was marred by a low voter turnout.
