Tshabangu Hyena Politics Unravelling

Opposition CCC self-imposed secretary-general Sengezo Tshabangu has been suspended by interim leader Welshman Ncube, marking the beginning of the end of his self-serving hyena politics – brazen political opportunism and scavenging for survival – which left the once-formidable party in ruins.

Ncube’s spokesperson Kurauone Chihwayi said in a statement:

This came as High Court Justice Neville Wamambo ruled that changes made to the CCC’s parliamentary leadership by Tshabangu were “unlawful” and “ultra vires” the Zimbabwean constitution, thus null and void.

In the process, the judge exposed Tshabangu as a political impostor aided and abetted in his criminal political activities to undermine the opposition by Speaker of Parliament Jacob Mudenda.

Tshabangu seized control of the now captured CCC after the disputed 2023 elections, which were rejected by the Southern African Development Community, allowing his organised gang of political hyenas – opportunists and scavengers – to lead the opposition at the behest of Zanu PF.

This forced party leader Nelson Chamisa to abandon ship, leaving Tshabangu as the new captain.

After subsequent fights in the captain’s deck, Ncube emerged as interim leader. The latest court ruling against Tshabangu’s arbitrary reshuffle of the party legislature leadership and arrangements came as the court granted an urgent provisional order sought by Ncube to stop new recalls.

Ncube said Tshabangu’s recent reshuffle of legislature officials amounted to renewed recalls, already been frozen by the courts.

This suggested Tshabangu was acting in wilful violation of a previous judgement and court order.

Tshabangu, positioning himself as leader of the opposition in parliament, recently made a raft of surprise changes to the CCC’s deployees to the Standing Rules and Orders Committee (SROC).

CCC leaders Lynette Karenyi Kore, Sesel Zwidzai and Edwin Mushoriwa were removed from their SROC positions and replaced by three other Tshabangu appointees.

Tshabangu has been stuffing party structures and positions with his cronies after hitting a political jackpot as he took over the opposition with the secret assistance of pillars of the state; the executive, legislature and judiciary, as well as intelligence services at the behest of tje ruling Zanu PF.

The CIO-run project was to destroy the opposition CCC, which is now captured, and cripple Chamisa who quickly quit without a serious fight.

Chamisa’s shock decision was controversial as some saw it as a wise move, yet others viewed it as a betrayal of voters and an enabling act to allow President Emmerson Mnangagwa to rule unchallenged.

Some critics went as far as saying that Chamisa is also compromised or captured by Mnangagwa.

For capturing CCC, Tshabangu was rewarded with a senate position, a car, house, money and prestige, as well as rubbing shoulders with Zanu PF rulers.

However, after his recent CCC changes Ncube, Kore, Zwidzai and Mushoriwa went to court seeking a declaratory order that Tshabangu’s actions to remove the three lawmakers from their SROC positions be declared unlawful and in breach of the constitution, which Wamambo granted, barring Tshabangu from arbitrary recalls and reshuffles which destroyed the opposition and delivered it as a captured party to Zanu PF.

The applicants in the urgent court application were CCC, Ncube, Karenyi, Zwidzai, and Mushoriwa, and respondents included Tshabangu, Mudenda and Nonhlanhla Mlotshwa. Wamambo ruled:

“1. The application be and is hereby granted.

2. The removal of third (Karenyi) and fifth (Mushoriwa) applicants from their membership of the SROC in their ex officio and Opposition Chief Whip in the National Assembly by the first (Tshabangu) and second respondent (Mudenda) be and is hereby declared unlawful and ultra vires the Constitution of Zimbabwe.

3. The appointment of Nonhlanhla Mlotshwa as first applicant’s (CCC) overall Chief Whip, a position which does not exist under s 151(2) of the Constitution of Zimbabwe be and is hereby declared unlawful.

4. The reshuffle and deployment by first respondent (Tshabangu) of various elected members of Parliament of the first applicant (CCC) in the different portfolio committees that they were duly deployed to by the party is null and void.”

So, pending the determination of case number HC 6872/23 Tshabangu is interdicted from recalling or purporting to issue any letter of recall of any member of the National Assembly, Senate or Local Authority elected under the applicant or CCC ticket.

The argument by applicants was that the office bearers held office in the CSRO, but no longer hold such office which amounts to a recall.

“I also find that the position of Chief Whip is not sanctioned by the constitution and is thus unlawful,” Wamambo said.

“I agree that removing members from the CSRO and replacing them with others amounts to a recall.

“Effectively, first respondent disobeyed the order rendered in HH 652/23. In the totality of the circumstances, I find that the application is meritorious and should be granted. I am of the view that costs on a higher scale are uncalled for in such a case which seeks to clarify issues of importance to members of the same party.”

The judge also concurred with Ncube’s submission that Tshabangu’s reshuffle was not in line with their internal procedures.

“He acted without lawful authority at all in effecting the re-deployments. He was on a frolic of his own and what he did does not reflect the collective and correct position of the 1st applicant (CCC),” Ncube said in an affidavit accompanying the urgent court application.

“He is a nonentity and it is surprising that the Speaker keeps entertaining him instead of the party.” Ncube also said there seems to be a strong element of collusion between Tshabangu and Mudenda, “which is embarrassing.”

The CCC interim leader also said redeployments constitute a recall as Tshabangu was removing certain members of parliament from their roles. “In fact, he is in contempt of an extant court order.

Further, it will be absurd that he be allowed to effect reshuffles when there is an order that bars him from recalling.

I can state with confidence that Tshabangu has effected recalls in the guise of redeployment in violation of a court order.”

He was making reference to a December 2023 High Court judgement by Justice Tawanda Chitapi in which he ruled that pending the determination of an earlier application by the CCC challenging Tshabangu’s authority to recall MPs, he was barred from effecting any further recalls.

Ncube also said in appointing himself overall leader of the opposition in parliament, Tshabangu had placed himself above his seniors in the CCC hierarchy. Since Chamisa quit the CCC, citing Zanu PF interference many opposition figures have claimed the party leadership, but the battle has boiled down to a fight between Ncube and Tshabangu.

The Tshabangu operation, which was driven by Zanu PF and government structures, has succeeded in capturing CCC, leaving democracy in a parlous state, whole subverting voters’ will expressed in the 2023 elections.

It has caused untold damage to opposition politics, leaving President Emmerson Mnangagwa and Zanu PF firmly ensconced in power without any serious challenge.

The situation has been further exacerbated by Chamisa’s disengagement from active politics, giving Mnangagwa a free rein and consolidation of his authoritarian reign. Advocate Method Ndlovu, who represented Ncube, told The NewsHawks this evening the High Court judgement shows Tshabangu is a nonentity in the CCC.

“This is a very critical judgment in so far as the conduct and affairs of parliament are concerned,” he said.

“The judgment sets the law for political parties and the Speaker of Parliament and further emphasises the importance of the Committee on Standing Rules and Orders. Its implications are quite welcome in our jurisprudence. Ultimately, it clearly shows that Tshabangu is really a nonentity in opposition politics.”

Zimbabwe is currently reeling from deepening political and economic problems, but with the opposition practically in hiatus things will get far worse before they can get better, that is if they will at all if Zanu PF remains in power.