Former Zimbabwean Cabinet minister, Professor Jonathan Moyo, has brought to light a meticulous plan by Nelson Chamisa, leader of the Citizens’ Coalition for Change (CCC), to orchestrate what Moyo aptly describes as a “crush Congress.” This bombshell disclosure has set off a storm of controversy, with Moyo shedding light on the authenticity of Chamisa’s leadership within the CCC.
In Moyo’s words, Chamisa, who formerly led the Movement for Democratic Change Alliance (MDC-A) and later rebranded it as CCC, is now under scrutiny for his “suspected bid to fortify his dominance within the party, even if it means forsaking democratic norms and sidelining his fellow party members.”
Posting on X Moyo directly quoted Chamisa, who referred to CCC as a “transparently” opaque, structureless, positionless, and memberless movement. Chamisa humorously labeled it a “wapusa wapusa” movement, suggesting a strategy that is sly or cunning.
“Nelson Chamisa is now secretly preparing to hold an “ambush” or “crush” [emergency] and essentially fake Congress by the end of November 2023 and he has given Amos Chibaya the ‘task’ and ‘assignment’ to organise it,” Moyo said.
The proposed “Convention” has raised eyebrows, as Moyo points out, that it appears to be tailored to preserve Chamisa’s unassailable hold on power, rather than fostering democratic processes within the party.
Speaking of Amos Chibaya, a key figure in these designs Moyo says, ” the idea is to use the Convention or elective Congress to introduce a constitution that is currently being drafted in the wake of the recalls. Also in what is a desperate attempt to at long last come up with some semblance of a structure, Chibaya has told his brainstorming colleagues that have been handpicked by Chamisa that the constitution being currently drafted will provide for the election only of Chamisa as the President or Change Champion in Chief or Leader. ”
This constitution, in Moyo’s words, “grants Chamisa the unilateral authority to appoint a seven-member ‘Management Committee.” Moyo emphasizes that this committee includes a “Bureau of Chiefs,” responsible for administering and organizing the party’s activities. Moyo points out that “this structure creates the illusion of a more organized entity while consolidating ultimate power firmly in the hands of Chamisa and his selected committee.”
Moyo underscores the presence of a circulating petition, which demands the convening of a bona fide Congress, in adherence to the original CCC constitution. According to Moyo, while Chamisa and Chibaya labor to thwart this petition, they face an uphill battle as the tide of opposition gains momentum.
Moyo concludes by emphasizing there, “is now more than one CCC out there, and – make no mistake about it – only one must be legal, based on its factual paternity!”
A senior CCC street champion based in the Tafara Mabvuku constituency, who wished to remain anonymous, revealed concerns within the party regarding Chamisa’s handling of party affairs.
In their words, “While the President garners widespread support across the country, particularly on social media, his popularity within the party is waning. He is being accused of using strategic ambiguity to personalize the Citizens’ project and divert funds from the party. This is why he is pushing for a covert congress that will solidify his individual power nationwide.” They went on to state, “The constitution currently under development serves as clear evidence of Chamisa’s deception when he claimed the existence of a constitution, of which none of us were aware.”
