By Staff Reporter
Sengezo Tshabangu claims to be main opposition Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) interim secretary general has appointed three individuals to supervise the approval of candidates participating in the upcoming by-elections.
Tshabangu wrote a letter to the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) in which he named three individuals from Bulawayo, including himself, Mbuso Siso, and Jabulani Ncube, to be responsible for endorsing candidates for the upcoming by-elections.
“Pursuant to Statutory Instrument 188 of 2023 proclaiming by-elections to be held on 9 December 2023, and fixing 7 November 2023 as the date on which the Nomination Court shall sit, I write in terms of section 46(1)(c) and (2) of the Electoral Act (chapter2:13), to submit the designated officials of the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) who are authorised to countersign the nomination papers of our party’s approved candidates, and these are Sengezo Tshabangu, Mbuso Siso, Jabulani Ncube
“Accordingly, please find attached herewith the completed mandate form. In this regard, may I also emphasize that no other person or individual is authorised to countersign the nomination papers of any of our party’s approved candidates for the said by-elections,” reads the letter.
The by-elections, slated for December 9, have been arranged to address the vacant parliamentary seats left in the wake of Tshabangu’s recall of 15 opposition Members of Parliament.
Despite the ongoing legal dispute with the recalled MPs seeking relief, the nomination court is scheduled to accept candidacy applications on November 7.
CCC leader Nelson Chamisa has distanced his party from Tshabangu, characterizing him as an imposter collaborating with Zanu PF.
The contested constituencies include Beitbridge West, Binga North, Bulawayo South, Cowdray Park, Lobengula- Magwegwe, Lupane East, Mabvuku Tafara, Mpopoma- Mzilikazi, and Nketa.