Former cabinet Minister and exiled political commentator, Professor Jonathan Moyo, has raised concerns over the lack of transparency and shifting of goalposts on candidates selection process within the Citizens’ Coalition for Change (CCC).
Moyo who of late has been a critic of the Nelson Chamisa led opposition outfit highlighted the need for thorough scrutiny and exposure of the party’s candidate selection process, which he claimed has been marred by intrigue and opaque decision-making.
“There is no poking of any nose or minding anyone’s business here. General elections – which normally come one’s every five years – are not anyone’s private business, they’re everyone’s national business about who shall govern – not some govern some private company or some political party – but govern the country. Get used to it, its politics,” tweeted Moyo.
The former Minister pointed out the contradictory nature of the CCC’s stance as a party that promotes democracy but appears to be hostile towards scrutiny.
“Zanu PF has had an open candidate election process which played out in full public view months ago and whose outcome everyone knows, on the other hand CCC is playing hide and seek with the public; its candidate selection process has not been as “innovative and democratic” as it was touted to be when it started, rather, it has been opaque and full of intrigue with @nelsonchamisa and his team of @advocatemahere and @Cde_Ostallos changing goal posts at every turn whenever there’s been a development or an outcome they don’t favour or like,” said Moyo.
He specifically highlighted the selection of council candidates in Wards 4 and 5 in Bulawayo, where he alleged the CCC leadership sought to impose candidates.
“The intrigue and brazen shifting of goal posts are happening just about everywhere but notably in the selection of council candidates in Wards 4 and 5 in Bulawayo [where Chamisa and his team are seeking to impose @DavidColtart and Dumisani Nkomo who are their choices for mayor and deputy mayor for the city, respectively, but who were both resoundingly rejected by the ‘community’ selection caucuses in their wards,” he said.
He added “A similar situation is also taking place in Cowdray Park constituency where Chamisa and his team are trying to use @DrThoko_Khupe as some election campaign Ping-Pong, hoping to make some political capital through her, because the ZanuPF candidate there is the minister of finance, whom they think must be challenged by a high profile CCC figure they actually don’t have.
“But the fact that Dr Khupe was “selected” in a CCC “community caucus” by only 222 people, some of them not from Cowdray Park and others not registered as voters is obviously embarrassing. It cannot be a basis for making capital for any national campaign. Imagine: just 222 people in a constituency with over 24,000 registered voters. The intrigue and goalpost shifting at play, the “222 votes” embarrassment coupled with Dr Khupe’s initial preference to be on CCC’s party-list for Senate – since compounded by her not feeling her best at the moment – triggered a rethink and her withdrawal from Cowdray Park for inclusion on the top of CCC’s Senate party-list.”
Moyo said he would continue to closely monitor and expose any irregularities or lack of transparency within the party.
