The Blue Movement led by opposition leader Nelson Chamisa is using the structures of the Citizens’ Coalition for Change (CCC) to mobilize support amid concerns by political analysts that the organization may face the same fate as its predecessor.
Chamisa resigned from the CCC, arguing that Zanu PF had infiltrated the party after its self-imposed interim secretary-general, Singiso Chabangu, purged several CCC legislators from parliament.
Former CCC legislators Amos Chibaya and Austalos Szipa made a whirlwind tour of the provinces to update the party’s grassroots supporters on Chamisa’s impending political move that will be Blue.
Newsday reported last month that prominent opposition figures were unhappy that the duo were holding regional meetings to push for a new movement without their knowledge.
Now, Newsday has learned that the duo is using CCC structures to mobilize for the new movement despite Chamisa abandoning the formation.
This came to light after Chibaya and Sisiba sought to hold a rally at Mkoba Golf Course in Gweru yesterday.
The duo applied to hold the assembly using the CCC name and structures.
“The police banned our gathering in Mkoba which was scheduled to be held this afternoon on the grounds that there was insufficient information about the venue when the message clearly stated that it would be held at Mkoba 4 Golf Course,” Sebiza said.
However, in the urgent application, NewsDay noted that CCC was also mentioned as an applicant.
In accordance with the ban order dated March 9, the Gweru Metropolitan Police Commanding Officer, Senior Superintendent TB Gumbo, addressed participants in the meeting yesterday as “CCC Midlands District”.
Chamisa needs to be organized otherwise he will not succeed in his next move, said Stephen Chan, professor of global politics at the School of Oriental and African Studies at the University of London.
“I think Chamisa’s uncertainty about how to move forward stems from his hesitation about how best to move forward,” Chan said.
“He is keen not to be ‘hacked’ again, but infiltration depends on an organization that can be hacked. However, without an organized path forward, Chamisa will not be able to succeed.
Although no one can claim ownership from the support base politically or legally, the movement could be thwarted given the “politicized judiciary,” said political analyst Rushwit Mukundo.
He added: “We are aware of the fact that we have a politicized and largely ineffective judiciary that, of course, can be misused for political gain.” Zanu PF But even stretching this far makes a mockery of our judicial and political system. The way forward for Chamisa is to launch a new party that will attempt to be immune to infiltration by Zanu PF and the likes of Chabangu.
“What we are witnessing more broadly in the political space in Zimbabwe is an undermining of democratic political practices in the sense that you cannot have hustlers like Tshabangu who have never campaigned for the CCC and are unknown coming out and claiming to be leaders,” he added. . Regardless, opposition forces must maintain pressure on Zanu-PF, must continue to mobilize, and hopefully be in a position to compete again.
Meanwhile, police in Gweru said they banned the march due to “threats of violence.” Newsday
