Chamisa tackles ZEC, Tshabangu over abuse of his image
By Staff Reporter
Nelson Chamisa has written to the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) through his lawyers asking the poll authority to decline use of the opposition leader’s image by Sengezo Tshabangu, who claims to be interim CCC secretary general.
This comes as Tshabangu and election candidates loyal to him have filed for nomination and further contested in by-elections while using Chamisa’s face as a party symbol.
In a letter of demand sent to ZEC, Shava Law Chambers threatened legal action “against anyone who uses, accepts or permits the unauthorised use of our client’s property”.
The letter reads:
“We represent Advocate Nelson Chamisa, on whose behalf we write. Please take note of our professional interest. Our client is the president of the Citizens’ Coalition for Change political party, established on January 22, 2022.
“We have been informed that in June 2023, he granted specific candidates from the party permission to use his image as a logo during the harmonized elections held between August 23 and 24, 2023. The individuals who received authorization had their nomination papers, as evidenced in your records, signed in accordance with a letter dated June 15, 2023, which you received on the same day. A copy of the aforementioned letter is enclosed for reference.
“We are advised that some individuals, other than the individuals mentioned above, have resorted to misappropriation of the image of our client’s face for purposes misrepresenting and misleading the electorate. We advise that this is illegal and fraudulent, to the extent that it is being done without our client’s express or implied consent.
“Our client has a reasonable apprehension of fear that the same individuals might want to fraudulently use the image of his face on their nomination papers for purposes of submission to your office.
“We have been instructed to advise, as we hereby do, that you do not accept any nomination papers with the image of our client’s face save for the authorized names aforementioned.
“We advise that an unauthorized use, and consequently, acceptance by your office, of any nomination papers bearing the image of our client’s face constitutes violation of his constitutional right to privacy as well as compulsory deprivation of his property rights.
“We are further instructed to take legal action against anyone who uses, accepts or permits the unauthorised use of our client’s property.”
