Harare – Sengezo Tshabangu, the self-styled secretary-general of the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC), has withdrawn an urgent chamber application filed in the High Court, in which he sought to prevent party president Welshman Ncube from recalling him from Parliament. The move comes amidst ongoing internal disputes and legal battles within the opposition party.
Through his lawyer, Advocate Lewis Uriri, Tshabangu informed High Court judge Justice Mary Zimba-Dube of his decision to withdraw the case. The reasons for the withdrawal remain unclear, but it follows a series of legal challenges and counter-challenges between Tshabangu and the Ncube-led faction of the CCC.
Welshman Ncube, when contacted by NewsDay, suggested that Tshabangu’s decision to file the application in the first place was ill-advised.
“It was not sensible to file two urgent chamber applications at once,” Ncube stated. “He should have filed the interdict challenging his dismissal first, then the other one will proceed on normal basis.”
Another case, HCH875/25, which was expected to be presided over by the same judge, has been postponed to March 21st.
According to Willias Madzimure, spokesperson for the Ncube CCC faction, “HCH875/25 has been postponed because the consolidated index was only availed by the registrar this morning which made it difficult for the court and the lawyers to follow hence the decision to postpone it to next Friday.”
Tshabangu’s position within the CCC has been contentious for some time. He was dismissed from the party after being found guilty of violating the party constitution and disrespecting the leadership. The charges stemmed from his alleged unauthorised changes to CCC parliamentary portfolio holders.
Following his dismissal, Tshabangu swiftly sought legal recourse, rushing to the High Court to obtain an interim ruling that would prevent the CCC from recalling him from Parliament.
Judge President Justice Zimba-Dube initially granted an interim order in his favour, ensuring that he would retain his parliamentary seat while his legal challenge progressed. This interim order remained in effect until the finalisation of his case, where he is challenging his expulsion from the party.
In his application, Tshabangu had argued that the terms of office of all office bearers, including Ncube, had expired in May 2024, further fuelling the internal power struggle.
The withdrawal of the urgent chamber application represents a temporary lull in the ongoing legal battles within the CCC. However, the underlying issues of leadership and legitimacy remain unresolved. The postponement of case HCH875/25 to March 21st suggests that the legal wrangling is far from over.
The CCC, as Zimbabwe’s main opposition party, faces a critical period as it seeks to consolidate its position and present a united front. The internal disputes and legal challenges involving Tshabangu and Ncube risk undermining the party’s credibility and effectiveness.
The political landscape in Zimbabwe remains highly contested, and the CCC’s ability to overcome its internal divisions will be crucial in its efforts to challenge the ruling ZANU-PF party in future elections.
