Chamisa’s Strategic Ambiguity Sparks Controversy Over CCC Dynamics

Political commentator Brighton Mutebuka has reignited debate over Nelson Chamisa’s leadership of the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC), questioning his decisions and his approach to party dynamics.

Mutebuka was responding to Freeman Chari, a U.S.-based veteran opposition activist, who criticized Chamisa for personalizing the CCC through what he termed “Strategic Ambiguity.”

Chari, with a long history in Zimbabwean opposition politics, argued that Chamisa abandoned foundational agreements of the movement, including adopting a constitution and structured organization.

Mutebuka accused Chari of exposing confidential party discussions, arguing that such breaches of trust undermine the internal cohesion necessary for any political movement.

He further claimed that Chamisa harbored little interest in working with senior figures who had previously left the MDC under Morgan Tsvangirai’s leadership.

Notable names like Welshman Ncube, Tendai Biti, and Job Sikhala returned to MDC Alliance later, but Mutebuka suggested Chamisa accepted them reluctantly.

Mutebuka detailed how Chamisa inherited MDC Alliance from Tsvangirai and had to embrace figures like Ncube, despite trust deficits and lingering factional divides.

In his sharp critique, Mutebuka noted that unresolved trust issues and a lack of formal structures complicated CCC’s operations, particularly before the March 2022 by-elections.

He revealed that Ncube admitted in 2022 that a party constitution remained in draft form, never finalized due to time constraints and internal uncertainties.

Mutebuka argued that Chamisa’s Strategic Ambiguity was a defense mechanism against infiltration and hijacking of the party, especially in light of past breakaways.

The strategy, while exposing alleged state infiltration under President Mnangagwa, came with reputational costs, particularly accusations of undermining democratic norms.

Mutebuka also blamed post-election paralysis within CCC on state-backed infiltration, asserting it reflected broader challenges facing Zimbabwe’s opposition politics.

He acknowledged Chamisa’s efforts in exposing what he described as a compromised electoral process, an assertion later echoed by SADC’s final report.

According to Mutebuka, the CCC leader now faces one last chance to rebuild on his terms, free from the baggage of past alliances and divisions.

This fresh start, he suggested, is both a necessary and daunting task, given the fractured political landscape and the weight of Zimbabwe’s turbulent opposition history.

As debates continue, the CCC’s future remains uncertain, with Chamisa’s leadership decisions under close scrutiny from both supporters and critics.

The Zim Bulletin