Harare High Court judge Justice Pisirayi Kwenda has urged Citizens Coalition for Change CCC party leader Nelson Chamisa and his team to put their house in order claiming that the party’s internal fights are necessarily spilling to the courts.

Rutendo Maraire

Delivering a ruling in a matter brought about by self-imposed Secretary-General Sengezo Tshabangu who was seeking to bar Chamisa candidates for the by-elections slated for February 3, Kwenda gave a long lecture on democracy and opposition politics.

The court said the opposition should know that "one day they can govern the country".

This means that the recalled members of Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) will not be on the ballot as Kwenda ruled in favour of Tshabangu.

The former Matabeleland North provincial chairperson filed an application at the High Court seeking to bar 23 party candidates from running in the forthcoming by-election.

Tshabangu has been on a spree of recalling candidates since last year after the August 23rd General Election. 

CCC lawyer, Obey Shava said now that the court has ruled against them he now awaits to hear what the party wants.

“We are going back to the people who have sent us. I’m a lawyer, I take instructions from my client. I’m going back to my client and say this is the judgement of the court what is the way forward? How do you want us to proceed?” he said.

The current wave of recalls has caused a second by-election slated for February 3, the first wave of recalls caused the December 9 by-election held in 2023.

Tshabangu’s lawyer Nqobani Sithole said he is glad that his client’s wish has been fulfilled.

“Our client’s right has been vindicated. Those that don’t belong to the party should not be on to represent the party in this coming by-election,” he said.

Tshabangu also argues that the candidates who were recalled last year, have not been re-admitted to the party, hence they should not contest under the CCC banner.

The 23 newly recalled candidates include Gift Siziba, Member of Parliament for Tshabalala Pelandaba who filed his papers under the same CCC banner which evoked his recall.

Already  Pashor Raphael Sibanda, Nicola Jane Watson, Ereck Gono, Evidence Sunungurai Zana, Morgan Ncube, Obert Manduna, Janeth Dube, Desmond Makaza, Gideon Shoko, Tendai Sibanda, Anastasia Moyo were recalled and barred from participating in the December by-elections.

Unlike at the sitting of the nomination court for the 09 December by-elections, some recalled CCC members filed their papers as independent candidates for the 03 February by-elections to avoid being disqualified.