CITIZEN Coalition for Change (CCC) councillors in Chinhoyi snubbed a meeting organised by the party’s self-proclaimed secretary-general, Sengezo Tshabangu, last week.
In a memo dated July 16 this year, Tshabangu called all CCC councillors to attend the meeting to deliberate on negative media reports about the city fathers.
The meeting was scheduled for Friday last week.
“Following several negative media reports about goings-on at your council, I am writing to you, to notify you of an urgent meeting to look into these issues in detail and proffer long-lasting solutions,” Tshabangu said.
Only two out of the 10 elected councillors attended the meeting.
Embattled mayor Owen Charuza and his deputy Chipo Mlotswa allegedly showed up for the aborted meeting.
Tshabangu-led CCC faction provincial member Tendayi Musonza confirmed that only two elected members showed up at the venue but denied that it was a meeting.
“Two elected members showed up at the venue and we are happy that the mayor and his deputy are on our side,” he said.
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Musonza later denied that it was a meeting following the poor attendance.
“It was not a meeting because it was not cleared by the police,” he said.
Six councillors opted to attend the James Timba-led CCC faction meeting that was hurriedly organised to counter the Tshabangu faction meeting on the day.
Dyke Makumbe from the Timba faction, which is loyal to former CCC president Nelson Chamisa, said six councillors opted to attend the people’s movement meeting.
“Most progressive councillors desired to side with the people waiting for the launch of the movement to be led by Nelson Chamisa,” Makumbe said.
Two councillors Richard Vhitirinyu and David Malunga decided to sit on the fence by not attending both meetings.
Charuza said he did not attend the Timba faction meeting because the invitation letter was vague with no agenda, venue and was "threatening" in nature.
“You see that the invitation didn't have a venue and no agenda and followed by a threat [this is a must attend meeting] why does it sound threatening than a meeting to clear the differences in council right now,” he said.
Tshabangu snatched the CCC from its founding leader, Chamisa and recalled a number of councillors and legislators, resulting in costly by-elections that gave Zanu PF a two-thirds majority.
Chamisa later left the CCC.
