Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) president Nelson Chamisa has reportedly fired the opposition controlled Mayor of Harare Jacob Mafume and six other councillors accused of “scheming” with self-proclaimed party Interim Secretary General Sengezo Tshabangu to cause chaos in the party.
The other six councillors said to have been fired are Bulawayo’s Deputy Mayor Edwin Ndlovu, Mutare Mayor Sophia Gwasira, her deputy Cloud Nengomasha, and two unnamed councillors in Marondera and Harare.
Mafume was re-elected last month under a cloud of allegations that he connived with Tshabangu to have the previous mayor Lovejoy Chitengu recalled and make way for his ascension.
It is further claimed he coerced councillors into voting for him under the threat they would be recalled from Town House by Tshabangu if they did not comply.
Mafume defended his election and denied reports that police and bouncers had been used to coerce councillors.
“Another video of the councillors singing as they elected a @CCCZimbabwe Mayor. They were waiting for the results, again no police, no bouncers. Are these people who are forced? They never sang the last times,” he tweeted.
How did Mafume first become Mayor?
Mafume ironically first became Mayor when he finished off the term of office of Herbert Gomba who was himself recalled by Douglas Mwonzora’s faction of the MDC Alliance in August 2020.
Many believe Mafume thought Chamisa would sanction his return to Town House after the General Elections in 2023 but the party went in a different direction selection veteran politician and businessman Ian Makone.
It also did not help Mafume that he belonged to Tendai Biti’s People Democratic Party (PDP), a party that joined the opposition MDC Alliance first under the late Morgan Tsvangirai and then under Chamisa in 2018.
Despite furious denials, Biti (Chamisa’s deputy in the MDC Alliance and Welshman Ncube (another deputy) are being accused of fighting Chamisa in the CCC using Tshabangu as the proxy.
What has Biti said in the past?
In November last year Biti defended himself and Ncube in a post he shared.
“Not satisfied, the regime is now engaged in a malicious push to weaken our struggle, the progressive movement, through the illegal recall of elected public representatives.
“It is therefore shocking to hear, and read, a daily stream of abusive, malicious and defamatory claims that Professor Welshman Ncube and I, are colluding with the regime and its proxies to append a struggle that have occupied and consumed all our adult lives.”
“I do not speak for Prof Ncube, an honest and decent comrade who buried his dear mother on Friday, but as someone who has been in this struggle for as long as I have, one who has endured Zanu PF’s jails and physical attacks by the same, it is heartbreaking, if not tragic, that many Cdes that have been with us on this journey are now given false labels and badges, Zanu PF wish they had coined first.
“I don’t believe in recalls. I have never been part of recalls. I will never be part of recalls.
“In my life, I have been recalled twice in 2015 and in 2021 through the pernicious use of section 129(1)(k) of the Constitution of Zimbabwe.
“I know the pain of a recall. My family knows the pain of a recall. The people of Harare East know the pain a recall. With other MPs, such as Temba Mliswa, we unsuccessfully fought for the removal and repeal of section 129(1)(k),” Biti wrote.
Rave dambe zvino,why muchipedzera vanhu nguva coz now hatichazivi chirikuitika muCCC umu.Kungoivhara part yacho senane
Sunga mbwaa dzese Chamisa. All of them who are involved in the Tshabangu saga must all face the boot. All of them.
He should be relieved of his duties .
Tshabangu should be relieved of his duties ,I know he was appointed by Ed to that position of secretary general in the ccc. Ahoy chamisa