Political activists warn against conflation of tribal and political issues in CCC recalls dispute

Political activists from the Mthwakazi Republic Party (MRP) have condemned the ongoing tribal slurs and insults exchanged on social media following Sengezo Tshabangu’s recall of elected officials from the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC).

The activists lamented how people were trading tribal slurs and targeting certain ethnic groups over infighting that could be solved by political party leadership.

“It’s sad to see how some CCC members, supporters and officials have targeted all Ndebele people,” said Mbonisi Gumbo, interim Secretary for Information and Publicity in MRP.

Gumbo said MRP had stated publicly and was on record that it does not support Tshabangu’s actions of flouting the will made by people during elections.

“We have said the recallS by Tshabangu are a deliberate destruction of the main opposition party in Zimbabwe called CCC through his reckless and illegal recalls of that party’s MPs, Senators and Councillors for the benefit of Zanu PF,” he said.

“We are however disappointed that some CCC members have made the Tshabangu issue, which is clearly a CCC factional issue within CCC, a national and tribal issue.”

The political activist noted that Tshabangu might have acted individually, whose recall actions did not reflect the views of all the people in Matabeleland.

“Tshabangu did not act on behalf of Ndebele people nor was he sent by any Matabeleland Traditional Leaders, business people or students. No one outside of CCC sent Tshabangu to do what he is doing,” he said, arguing that tribal slurs which were painting Ndebele people with one brush were unfortunate.
“Why are Tshabangu’s actions linked to the Ndebele nation, even if you argue that he is a Zanu PF person, why target Ndebele and not his backers who may be Shona?”

Another political activist, Chilumbo Mudenda noted that instead of blaming people and various groups, the CCC leadership must sit down and solve their internal rifts for the benefit of people.

“The CCC president Nelson Chamisa and his team must sit down and solve their internal squabbles, instead they have resorted to insulting the people of Matabeleland,” Mudenda said.

“Of late we have been reading some not so pleasing statements and audios suggesting that Ndebele people should have all been killed during Gukurahundi Genocide because they are sellouts. How did some CCC members arrive at this conclusion? They shamelessly advocate for violence against Ndebele people.”

Mudenda claimed it was disheartening that some opposition supporters believed it was acceptable to tribalise internal CCC squabbles.

“The statements on Twitter attributed to Chamisa’s Chief advisor Advocate Thabani Mpofu are in bad taste, why would he call other people terrorists on a subject that he and his boss are equally guilty of. It boggles the mind why CCC will resort to insulting Ndebele people who are by the way the stronghold of Chamisa’s support base? Should we trust him?” he questioned.

The political activist added that Ndebele people were victims of a genocide led by the ruling party in 1982 to 1987, an emotive matter which was still pending as victims were still suffering from that violence.

“Therefore we are very sensitive to issues of tribal hate because we have scars of that. The reckless statements that suggest the Zimbabwean state security should have wiped out all Ndebele people makes us wonder if we are going to be safe under Chamisa and CCC’s presidency?” questioned the political activist.

“The people of Matabeleland did not in any way stop Chamisa from having a party Constitution, party structures, Congress and a visible leadership as is expected from anyone who calls themselves democrats.”

Mudenda said the insults coming from some CCC supporters directed at people of Matabeleland over internal squabbles reflected badly on the opposition leadership.

“It should be noted that what Tshabangu is doing within CCC is not a new thing and it has been done multiple times in the past 23 years but none who instigated such was called a CIO, sellout or dissident amongst those who led factions and splits within the main opposition from Mashonaland except people from Matabeleland such as Professor Welshman Ncube, Dr Thokozani Khuphe and now it is Sengezo Tshabangu,” said the MRP member advising the CCC leadership to address its internal issues and stop targeting people in Matabeleland or labelling them “betrayers.”

“Dr Tendai Biti, Dr Douglas Monzora, Job Sikhala, Elton Mangoma, among other Shona people once or severally led a revolt within their party because of unconstitutionalism and unilateral decisions, which the party’s leadership is known for. It is embarrassing for CCC supporters to drag the whole nation into their internal squabbles. We strongly condemn such behaviour.”