HARARE – The Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC)’s leadership wrangle returned to the fore on Sunday with reports self-styled party secretary general Sengezo Tshabangu has fired interim leader Welshman Ncube.

The claims were quickly dismissed by the party’s information department which challenged Tshabangu’s legitimacy to make such decision.

A virtually unknown politician before, Tshabangu came into prominence after he boldly issued multiple recalls against CCC MPs and councillors on the pretext they had ceased to become party members.

The apparent intrusion which was aided by court rulings in his favour led to then party leader Nelson Chamisa’s resignation citing party infiltration by the enemy.

Tshabangu has since switched turf to engage in battle with the party faction headed by interim leader Welshman Ncube.

In a statement, CCC spokesperson Willias Madzimure dismissed the said summary dismissal and went on to challenge Tshabangu’s legal status as an official who could make decisions on behalf of the main opposition.

“The party leadership’s attention has been drawn to and is in possession of a legal opinion purportedly authored by Messrs Ncube and Partners at the behest of Sengezo Tshabangu,” Madzimure said.

“The leadership of the party has perused this purported opinion and is of the opinion that this is a fake document that could not possibly having authored by a reputable law firm of the repute of Messrs Ncube and partners.

“The leadership assures the members of the party and the public that the Party leadership is firmly in control of the party and all its organs and that any notion  that the leadership is no longer in existence is false, flawed and self-serving propaganda designed to sow despondency among party members.”

Madzimure said “there can be no truth in the notion that Sengezo Tshabangu is the only official of the party remaining in office”.

“The premise of the opinion that Sengezo Tshabangu was appointed by the meeting of the National Council of 22 January 2022 to the position of Interim Secretary General is patently and self-evidently false.

“The Party leadership challenges the authors, if they in fact exist, of that opinion to produce the resolution of the National Council that made the purported appointment.”

He added, “The party leadership further challenges the authors of the opinion to produce any evidence of whatever description and nature from the period 22 January 2022 to the period of the start of the recalls of elected Party officials which published or indicated that Sengezo Tshabangu was the interim Secretary General of the party during that period or to produce any evidence that he performed at any level any function of the office of  Secretary General during that period.

“The CCC Party leadership remains committed to engaging all members and officers of the party with a view to establish or reestablish cohesion, discipline, order and transparency in the affairs of the party.

“It must be noted that the CCC is too big a party which before the recalls constituted more than a third of Members of Parliament and controlled more than 90% of all urban Councils. It will be a travesty of justice for anyone to assume that he can put the structures and organs of the party  into his pocket.

“The leadership reaffirms that anyone who purports to be an officer of the party is unconditionally subordinate to the authority of the Presidency, the Standing Committee, National Executive and National Council which remains the Supreme organ of the party in between congresses regardless of whether or not the congress of the party is held timeously in terms of the Constitution of the party.”

The CCC leadership row resurfaces after the government has announced it was disbursing funds to Zanu PF and CCC under the Political Parties Finance Act which affords grants to political parties which attain a minimum 5 percent vote in national elections.