Citizens’ Coalition for Change: A Party Divided Over Treasury Funds

The Citizens’ Coalition for Change (CCC) is facing a power struggle that threatens its political stability. What should have been a straightforward process of dividing Treasury-allocated funds has morphed into a battle of leadership factions, each fighting for control over the party’s financial windfall.

In a move that sparked controversy, the Treasury recently awarded ZiG$22 million to the CCC under the Political Parties Finance Act. The ruling ZANU PF, as expected, received the lion’s share, with ZiG$48 million. But, for CCC, the focus has shifted from how to best utilize these funds to determining who actually holds the reins within the party.

The drama intensified when Jameson Timba, representing one CCC faction, approached the High Court with an urgent application. His aim? To block the disbursement of the funds until the party’s internal leadership disputes are resolved. Timba’s camp is keen to prevent any financial allocations while the question of who should legitimately control the CCC hangs in the balance.

However, the case did not remain as simple as Timba filing a legal challenge. Welshman Ncube, head of another Citizens’ Coalition for Change faction, soon threw his hat into the ring, filing an application to be joined in the proceedings. Ncube asserts that he has a vested interest in the case, claiming that his role as acting president entitles him to involvement in decisions about the party’s funds. This, of course, added another layer to an already convoluted situation.

Yet, Ncube’s ambitions are not without contest. Enter Sengezo Tshabangu, the leader of a third faction, who quickly filed a notice of opposition against Ncube’s claims. According to Tshabangu, Ncube’s assertion of acting presidency is not only misleading but also unsupported by any concrete evidence. His argument centers on the absence of proof that Ncube ever assumed the acting presidency in accordance with CCC’s constitution.

Tshabangu argues that Ncube’s claim rests on nothing more than an unfounded allegation. He emphasized that the resignation of Nelson Chamisa, the former party leader, does not automatically make Ncube the acting president. According to Tshabangu, the party’s constitution mandates an extraordinary congress to elect an acting president, a step that, in his view, was never taken.

Such legal battles within the CCC are not just about leadership positions—they have significant implications for the party’s future. The dispute over leadership is closely tied to the control of the financial resources that are critical for sustaining the party’s operations and future campaigns. Without a clear resolution to these internal conflicts, the CCC risks being consumed by infighting while ZANU PF strengthens its political position in the background.

The escalating legal battle has drawn attention to deeper fractures within the opposition. In a country where political unity is vital for challenging the entrenched power of ZANU PF, CCC’s infighting plays directly into the ruling party’s hands. With no clear leader emerging to rally the opposition against ZANU PF’s dominance, the opposition risks splintering further.

What makes the CCC’s internal struggles more precarious is the broader context of Zimbabwe’s political environment. Political analysts have noted that this division within the opposition could erode public confidence in the CCC as a viable alternative to ZANU PF. Given Zimbabwe’s history of fragile opposition movements, the CCC’s current turmoil could be a setback not just for the party, but for the democratic process in Zimbabwe itself.

This situation presents a crucial question for Zimbabwean voters: how can a fragmented opposition hope to unite the country when it can’t even unite its own leadership? As long as CCC’s internal strife continues, the prospects of a strong opposition capable of challenging ZANU PF’s rule seem increasingly remote.

The CCC must now find a way to navigate this crisis. Will the courts be the ultimate arbiter of the party’s leadership? Or will an internal resolution emerge that can put the party back on course? One thing is clear—until the CCC can sort out its leadership and present a united front, it risks losing its relevance in Zimbabwe’s complex political landscape.

This fight over Treasury funds might appear to be a mere squabble over money. But it exposes much deeper issues of leadership, unity, and vision that the CCC must confront if it hopes to remain a serious political force in Zimbabwe. Whether the party can rise above this crisis or succumb to it will shape the country’s political future for years to come.

The Zim Bulletin