Chamisa Says Quitting CCC and MDC Was Meant to Disrupt Mnangagwa’s Political Agenda

Former Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) leader Nelson Chamisa has revealed that his decision to step away from both the CCC and the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) was part of a calculated strategy aimed at undermining President Emmerson Mnangagwa, whom he accuses of manipulating Zimbabwe’s opposition landscape.

Chamisa resigned from the CCC in January last year, citing what he described as a hostile takeover of the party by Mnangagwa’s allies—a response, he claimed, to his refusal to accept the outcome of the controversial August 2023 elections.

That post-election period saw the sudden emergence of Sengezo Tshabangu, a relatively unknown political figure who declared himself interim Secretary General of the CCC. Tshabangu claimed his goal was to reform the party’s internal structures, pointing to alleged irregularities in candidate selection ahead of the election.

Soon after, Tshabangu spearheaded a controversial campaign to recall dozens of elected opposition legislators and local councillors, arguing they had been improperly nominated. The recalls resulted in the CCC losing over 40 seats, allowing the ruling Zanu-PF party to regain the two-thirds parliamentary majority it had lost in the national vote.

Chamisa made attempts to intervene, including appeals to Local Government Minister July Moyo and the Speaker of Parliament, Jacob Mudenda, urging them to block the recalls. However, his efforts were unsuccessful, and the courts sided with Tshabangu, leaving Chamisa politically isolated and prompting his eventual departure.

On Thursday, Chamisa took to Facebook to explain the rationale behind his exit, describing it as a tactical move to complicate Mnangagwa’s grip on power.

“The best decision I ever made in my leadership journey was to walk away from MDC & CCC. You will thank me later. I had to break the cycle of going in circles. And that was my best way to teach ED a lesson!” he wrote.

This isn’t the first time Chamisa has walked away from a major political party. He also distanced himself from the MDC after a Supreme Court decision raised questions about the legitimacy of his leadership following the death of party founder Morgan Tsvangirai.

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