HARARE – The Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) has called a meeting of its standing committee on Sunday to appoint an acting leader after Nelson Chamisa quit suddenly on Thursday.

A statement by the party said the CCC’s leadership structure would revert to the officials elected at the MDC Alliance congress in Gweru in May 2019, before the party resolved in January last year to abandon the MDC Alliance name and form CCC.

Meanwhile, the party said one of its three vice presidents Karenyi Kore, the MP for Chikanga, has been appointed leader of the opposition in parliament, replacing Chamisa’s pick Amos Chibaya who was recalled by self-styled CCC interim secretary general Sengezo Tshabangu and subsequently barred by a court from running in by-elections set for February 3.

Chamisa’s two other former deputies, Welshman Ncube and Tendai Biti will attend Sunday’s meeting, ZimLive understands.

A fight between Chamisa and leaders elected at the MDC Alliance’s Gweru congress ultimately led to his decision to quit the party. Chamisa maintained that CCC was a new party and no-one held a position, but those leaders felt sidelined and accused him of staging a “coup.”

The CCC said in a statement: “Following President Chamisa’s statement, the party leadership elected at the Gweru congress convened an emergency meeting to consider both the contents of president Chamisa’s statement, and its immediate implications.

“It is important to remember that president Chamisa was elected unopposed at the Gweru national congress in May 2019. His leadership and presidency of the party has never been in dispute or contestation. Until his statement, he was the undisputed president of the party.

“The party leadership resolved that power and authority will collectively reside in the national leadership elected at the Gweru national congress. The leadership further reaffirmed the authority of national, provincial, district, ward and branch executive committees elected leading to the May 2019 Gweru congress.

“The leadership also resolved to lead a process to engage president Chamisa in a deliberate and determined manner in an effort to resolve some issues he raised in his statement.

“The leadership further resolved that another leadership meeting will be convened as a matter of urgency and further announcements will be made after that meeting.

“It is important that all party deployees in various positions of responsibility must continue executing their mandates whilst the leadership seeks ways to resolve the current issues. The general membership of the party is also called upon to jealously guard and defend the unity and cohesion of the party, and to do all that will enhance the standing of the party.”

CCC sources said the party was also seeking urgent talks with Tshabangu.

“One of his stated goals was that he wanted to return the party to constitutionalism and collective decision-making. The resolution to return to 2019 structures achieves that and given that he is the one that is now recognised by parliament and the courts as interim secretary general, we hope he will be happy to surrender the party back to its elected officials,” an official said, asking not to be named.

Following Chamisa’s announcement that he had quit the party, several CCC MPs have taken to social media to show their loyalty and say they “stand with him.” None of the MPs has resigned, but pressure will continue to build for them to dissociate themselves from the party.