Zimbabwe’s opposition faces intensified government crackdown
In a series of alarming statements, George Charamba, the presidential spokesperson of Zimbabwe, has declared the government’s readiness to eradicate the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC), an opposition group, and make the country’s political landscape inhospitable to them.
Charamba, known for sharing Zanu PF and government positions on the X platform under the pseudonym @dhonzamusoro007, issued the threats, claiming to have received intelligence regarding the CCC’s plan to stage protests in January.
Charamba’s recent post on X read, “As CCC handlers weep and agonise, we are ready to push the final nail in (the) CCC coffin when foolhardiness gets it to try its luck on street action in early January.”
He accused the CCC of being captives of a foreign-orchestrated plot aimed at destabilizing Zimbabwe. According to him, the objective should be the complete elimination of what he referred to as “quisling politics” that have infiltrated the nation’s political scene.
The CCC’s spokesperson, Promise Mkwananzi, dismissed Charamba’s statements as toxic politics. Mkwananzi emphasized that the CCC is a legitimate grassroots political entity, enjoying broad support from progressive Zimbabweans. He vehemently refused to engage in destructive politics and referred to Charamba as the one engrossed in such behaviour. Mkwananzi asserted that the CCC is a peaceful party, diligently striving to bring about the change that Zimbabweans expressed on August 23, 2023. He reiterated the party’s call for a fresh early election as the only viable solution to the current situation.
Efforts to reach Information Minister Jenfan Muswere for comments on the government’s stance were unsuccessful. Similarly, Zanu PF director for information, Farai Marapira, declined to comment on unofficial accounts. Marapira emphasized that the ruling party’s primary focus lies in improving the well-being of the people following President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s re-election.
“As Zanu PF, we are not here to destroy anyone. We seek to destroy poverty and create better livelihoods for our people,” Marapira told NewsDay.
The CCC, led by Nelson Chamisa, emerged last year after the MDC Alliance was taken away from him by Douglas Mwonzora, his longtime rival. Critics argue that the judiciary and state security apparatus played significant roles in Mwonzora’s takeover of the party. Chamisa, refusing to acknowledge Mnangagwa as the legitimate president, has accused him of vote fraud and intimidation of his supporters during the contested August 23 and 24 elections.
The CCC now faces a relentless onslaught from self-proclaimed interim secretary-general Sengezo Tshabangu, who has recalled several legislators and councillors affiliated with the party. Tshabangu claims that the recalled members are no longer part of the CCC. The opposition accuses him of being used by Zanu PF to secure a two-thirds majority in Parliament, facilitating the passage of undemocratic laws.
The escalating tensions between the government and the opposition signal a deepening political crisis in Zimbabwe. As the situation unfolds, the fate of the CCC and the future of the country’s political landscape remain uncertain.
