The Zimbabwean political landscape is roiling following a dramatic power struggle within the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) triggered by Sengezo Tshabangu’s apparent support for President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s bid to extend his term in office. This move has not only fractured the opposition party but has also raised serious questions about the credibility of Zimbabwe’s opposition movement.
Tshabangu, who claims the title of interim secretary general of the CCC, recently attempted to orchestrate a visit by CCC legislators to Mnangagwa’s farm in Kwekwe. This action, coupled with statements by his ally Charles Moyo suggesting CCC support for Zanu PF’s proposal to postpone the 2028 elections, has ignited a fierce internal conflict. Moyo’s claim that the CCC would back a move to extend Mnangagwa’s rule until 2030 has been met with swift and decisive rejection from key figures within the CCC.
The fallout has been swift and decisive. Following a High Court ruling against Tshabangu concerning a controversial reshuffle of CCC parliamentary leaders, Welshman Ncube’s faction of the party suspended Tshabangu, barring him from all CCC meetings. Kurauone Chihwayi, Ncube’s spokesperson, issued a strong statement: “The era of some bogus CCC chief whips and bogus secretary generals has to come to an end,” Chihwayi told The Standard. “The CCC is not in talks with Zanu PF over the deferment of the 2028 plebiscite. We are not in bed with Zanu PF and any attempt to subvert the Zimbabwe constitution shall face fierce resistance. Those ganging up to defer the 2028 elections without the input of the citizens are chasing a wild goose.”
This condemnation was echoed by another CCC faction led by Jameson Timba, and Darlington Chigumbu, the shadow Cabinet spokesperson, explicitly denied any association with Zanu PF’s resolutions. Chigumbu stated: “As an alternative government, we have always maintained that advancing the rule of law in Zimbabwe requires taking the right path. A false path will lead us to the very opposite of what we aim to achieve as a nation. It is essential that we uphold the rule of law and approach it with sincerity and earnestness.”
The MDC, under Douglas Mwonzora, also distanced itself from the proposal to extend Mnangagwa’s term, with spokesperson Lloyd Damba stating: “If they attempt to implement this 2030 plan, the MDC will mobilise the masses to vote ‘No’ so as to defend the integrity of the country’s constitution.”
Zanu PF, however, appears unfazed by the internal turmoil within the CCC. Farai Marapira, Zanu PF’s director of information, commented: “And as for the issue of the opposition and the ruling party coming together it is a matter of a common idea for the Zimbabwean people. So what we simply advocate for is what the president himself has been saying that at the end of the day we have one Zimbabwe we must come together to move our one Zimbabwe forward. There is strength in diversity.”
Political analysts offer differing interpretations of the situation. Maxwell Saungweme suggests Zanu PF may have strategically sacrificed Tshabangu, preferring to work with the more influential Welshman Ncube. Saungweme highlighted the perceived lack of credibility within Zimbabwe’s opposition: “I think there could be many reasons why Zanu PF would prefer to work with Welshman Ncube. He is a professor of law, and he has more clout within the region more than Tshabangu. Mnangagwa has no legitimacy, but talking about Welshman Ncube, who has been involved even in the unity government and in a lot of platforms, he has more clout than Tshabangu who is from the woodlands and he has never had that external exposure as well.”
However, Eldred Masunungure, a University of Zimbabwe political science lecturer, believes Zanu PF still needs Tshabangu for their 2030 agenda. He pointed to the upcoming decision by Parliament Speaker Jacob Mudenda on whether to uphold the High Court ruling against Tshabangu as a key factor in the unfolding drama. Mudenda is a respondent in the case brought by Ncube to strip Tshabangu of his parliamentary powers. Tshabangu himself has filed an appeal against this ruling.
The situation is further complicated by Mnangagwa’s previous public statements against violating the constitution, contrasted with his apparent tacit approval of his loyalists’ pursuit of extending his term. The future of the CCC, the stability of Zimbabwean politics, and the ultimate success of Zanu PF’s 2030 agenda remain uncertain as this high-stakes political drama unfolds.
