Sengezo Tshabangu
Wezhira Munya
During a press conference held at the Holiday Inn in Bulawayo on 17th February 2024, Mafume begged, “All 2019 MDC Alliance structures have been instructed to assume leadership roles within the Tshabangu CCC.” However, Mr. Ziki, the former vice chairperson of the Masvingo MDC Alliance Provincial branch, responded by saying, “As the former Masvingo Province 2019 MDC Alliance structures, we dissociate ourselves from Tshabangu CCC, Professor Welshman Ncube, Tendai Biti, Jacob Mafume, and their team. Masvingo Province fully supports President Nelson Chamisa.”
Mr. Ziki further expressed his disappointment, stating, “Mafume and his team failed to consult us, the former 2019 MDC Alliance structures in Masvingo, and now they expect us to join their defunct CCC. We, as Masvingo, refuse to be manipulated by Mafume, Biti, Ncube, and Tshabangu.”
Masvingo Province residents view Biti, Ncube, and Mafume as unrepentant political turncoats [sellouts], accusing them of betraying the late President Morgan Tsvangirai and initiating the defunct political parties MDC Green and PDP. They have now joined forces with ZANU PF to undermine the CCC and prevent President Chamisa from becoming its leader. It appears that these individuals have not changed their deceitful ways. They noted that, leopard does not change its color.
Advocate Derrick Charamba, the former MDC 2019 Masvingo Provincial spokesperson, and his deputy spokesperson, Ms. Lee Mahachi, also stated that they would not align themselves with the Tshabangu-led CCC, as Mafume had suggested. Mahachi accused the Tshabangu team of betraying the struggle and giving the ruling party, ZANU PF, a two-thirds majority in parliament through recalls.
During the 2023 harmonized elections, President Nelson Chamisa’s CCC party prevented ZANU PF from gaining a two-thirds majority in parliament by winning over 100 parliamentary seats and 33 out of 34 mayoral positions across Zimbabwe. However, through the recalls initiated by Tshabangu, Ncube, Biti, and Mafume, ZANU PF regained its two-thirds majority through by-elections and secured mayoral seats in Chiredzi town and other areas.
Mr. Jonah Wakurakurehwa, who served as the secretary of ICT in the 2019 MDC Alliance, expressed his dissatisfaction, saying, “Mafume, Tshabangu, and their team never consulted us when they recalled our duly elected councillors, senators, and members of parliament in Masvingo Province. Now they want us to join their dead CCC. We, as Masvingo, refuse to be used by Mafume, Biti, Ncube, and Tshabangu.”
In Masvingo Province, the Tshabangu, Mafume, and Ncube faction recalled the youngest and first female mayor in Masvingo’s history, Shantel Yeukai Chiwara, as well as Ward 2 councillor, due to their support for President Chamisa. Consequently, ZANU PF’s councillor, Benson Hwata, won the Ward 2 council seat in a by-election. This was the first time ZANU PF had won the ward since 1980, and the citizens of Ward 2 expressed their anger towards Mafume and his team for effectively handing the ward over to ZANU PF.
Additionally, the Tshabangu team recalled Masvingo senator Mr. Godfrey Madzikanda for supporting President Chamisa. In Chiredzi, Mafume’s team recalled the Chiredzi town mayor and councillor. As a result, for the first time since 2013, ZANU PF gained the mayorship and majority in the Chiredzi town council in 2024, after the recall of the pro-Chamisa councillor and mayor by Mafume and his team.
Mr. Murambasvina, the Masvingo urban MDC Alliance 2019 District secretary, stated, “As Masvingo urban, we will never forgive Tshabangu and Mafume for recalling our councillors and handing seats to ZANU PF. We are firmly in support of President Chamisa in Masvingo urban.”
Mr. Peace Mapope, the Masvingo urban 2019 organizer, added, “Masvingo urban will not join the sinking ship of Tshabangu-led CCC. We support President Chamisa.”
In Chivi, Mr. Francis Hungwe, Mr. Chivhanga, and Mr. Emmanuel Chidaushe concurred that all Chivi constituencies were pro-Chamisa and would not support the proxies of ZANU PF, namely Tshabangu, Mafume, Biti, and Ncube.
Mr. Bonface Mudzingwa,the 2019 Masvingo Province Provincial Organizer, affirmed, “I am from Bikita, and I can confirm that all Bikita constituencies are pro-Chamisa. The people of Bikita are deeply upset with the Tshabangu-led CCC and demand an explanation as to why Tshabangu collaborated with ZANU PF to recall their Members of Parliament.”
Mr. Mudzingwa also stated that he had consulted with all the 2019 Masvingo MDC Alliance structures, and they unanimously decided not to follow Mafume, Biti, Ncube, and Tshabangu.
Mrs. Mago, the chairlady of the 2019 Masvingo Province Women’s Assembly, expressed her belief that it was impossible to revive the 2019 MDC Congress structures after the Supreme Court ruling in March 2020. She emphasized that all women in Masvingo Province stood behind President Chamisa for their full empowerment.
In Mwenezi, Mr. Chifumuro, who was a CCC candidate in 2023, declared that all Mwenezi constituencies supported President Chamisa. The sentiment was echoed by citizens in Gutu constituencies, who stated that Mafume and his associates lacked support but they themselves supported President Chamisa.
Numerous individuals across all 26 constituencies in Masvingo Province expressed their support for President Chamisa and questioned how advocate Mafume could forget the significance of the Supreme Court ruling.
Psychologist Dr. Farai Muzondo commented that power-hungry individuals often experience cognitive failures and easily forget important information, such as the Supreme Court ruling.
Post published in: Featured