The Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) is currently embroiled in a series of accusations and counteraccusations over recalls initiated by Sengezo Tshabangu.
Some legislators from the party who were not recalled from Parliament claim they have been accused by fellow party members of conspiring with Tshabangu.
The surviving MPs also claimed other ambitious members of the party have also used the Tshabangu recalls to de-campaign them to win constituencies they desired for themselves.
According to party insiders, the finger-pointing has become so toxic that some sitting MPs have received threats directed at their children for their alleged involvement in the recalls.
This is despite the affected MPs declaring they knew nothing about the recalls which they say also surprised them.
“The recalls have also sowed seeds of division within the party, as members are unsure who to trust, and some are even bringing in tribalism into it,” sources said
Some of the MPs who survived the recalls have become targets of slander, with other party members questioning how they survived the chop except if they were working with Tshabangu.
“After the recall, one party member released an audio alleging that Bulawayo North MP Minenhle Gumede was involved in the recalls while other MPs such as Emakhandeni Luveve MP Discent Bajila has also not been spared,” sources claimed.
“Gumede was then asked by other party members about the contents of the audio and said she did not know. She reached out to the originator of audio who at first denied having mentioned her name then changed stance to say his voice was altered.”
CITE has the audio in question.
The sources said Gumede had to reach out to CCC President Nelson Chamisa asking him to reign in on those making the accusations or she would resort to lawyers to force a public retraction since the recalls were an emotive issue within the party.
“In her communication to Chamisa, Gumede said she was a mother of two children yet they were targeted for something that she was not a part of and asked why she was being persecuted by other party members when she had been loyal,” the source claimed.
“Chamisa apparently phoned Gumede telling her that he was shocked that all these things are happening.”
The fights have also spilled into WhatsApp groups where some individuals humiliate those who were not recalled accusing them of “working with Zanu PF officials who are tribalists,” added the party insider.
Sources also claimed one of the MPs who was “under attack was Sichelesile Mahlangu MP for Pumula who received an audio where negative sentiments were being said about her including names of party members who were to deal with them.”
Reached for comment the Bulawayo North MP referred questions to the party spokesperson Promise Mkhwananzi.
Mkhwananzi had not responded to questions sent to him despite acknowledging having received them.
