There are accusations within the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) party in Bulawayo that some aspiring candidates are being sponsored by Forever Associates Zimbabwe (Faz), a shadowy group linked to the ruling ZANU PF party.
Faz is known for interfering in ZANU PF’s controversial primary elections earlier this year. CCC has previously complained about alleged interference by intelligence operatives in its internal candidate selection process.
The CCC candidate selection process in Bulawayo has caused divisions within the party. According to leaked WhatsApp chats, some members claim that certain candidates are being funded by Faz to cause trouble.
One senior member accused some others of “working with Faz and benefiting from them.” However, others urged unity and said the focus should be on backing CCC leader Nelson Chamisa.
A CCC executive, Felix Sibanda, appealed for unity in Bulawayo, saying it could help them win the coming elections on August 23. He urged members of the MDC Veterans Association (VAA), an affiliate group, to support all CCC candidates.
However, CCC is still in the process of selecting candidates and has yet to submit nominations to the electoral commission by the June 21 deadline. In contrast, ZANU PF has already completed its primaries and nominated candidates.
