Self-imposed Secretary-General of the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC), Senator Sengezo Tshabangu, has finally bowed to the leadership of acting President Professor Welshman Ncube by attending a disciplinary hearing on Wednesday. The hearing, called by the CCC leadership, addressed allegations against Tshabangu, particularly his unilateral appointments and reassignments of party members in Parliament, actions deemed illegal by the party.
The CCC leadership has consistently maintained that Tshabangu had no legitimate authority to make such decisions, branding his actions as illegal. His recent stripping from every CCC position, save for his role as a Senator representing Matabeleland North, marked a clear demotion within party ranks.
Tshabangu’s presence at the hearing signaled an implicit acceptance of Professor Ncube’s leadership—a stark contrast to his previous stance, where he contested the legitimacy of the acting President’s tenure, claiming it had expired in May 2024. His decision to appear before the disciplinary committee, accompanied by his lawyer Advocate Kucaca Ivumile Phulu (also a Senator), suggests a shift in his approach.
According to sources aligned to Tshabangu, he informed the disciplinary committee that he is still reviewing the charge sheet and will respond after comprehensively studying it. This careful legal approach further reinforces his recognition of the party’s disciplinary structures, which are currently under Professor Ncube’s administration.
Tshabangu attempted to justify his self-appointment as Interim Secretary-General by arguing that the position was vacant and lacked visible leadership. “As an able cadre of the party, I assumed the role through strategic ambiguity,” he reportedly stated. However, the CCC leadership remains firm that his actions were illegitimate and outside party protocol.
By choosing to attend the hearing, Tshabangu has, perhaps unwittingly, legitimized the authority of Professor Welshman Ncube’s leadership—a significant development in the ongoing internal struggles within the CCC. Whether this signals a complete shift in Tshabangu’s stance or a tactical maneuver remains to be seen, but for now, he has stepped back from outright defiance, opting instead to navigate party procedures through official channels.
