In a stark warning to Nelson Chamisa, the President of the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC), renowned Human Rights Lawyer and political activist, Dr. Pedzisayi Ruhanya, has urged Chamisa to abandon alleged dictatorial practices within the party or dissolve it and join the ruling ZANU PF party.
Dr. Ruhanya’s remarks come in the wake of allegations that Chamisa has sidelined key figures within the CCC, including Vice Presidents Professor Welshman Ncube and Tendai Biti, operating the party as a one-man-led entity. The Human Rights Lawyer voiced his concerns on social media platform X, stating that if the opposition party chooses an authoritarian approach, it should dissolve and align itself with ZANU PF, a party historically associated with authoritarianism.
“We don’t expect lipstick and face powder democracy from the opposition,” declared Dr. Ruhanya in his online posts, emphasizing the need for internal democracy and transparency within opposition ranks.
Chamisa has faced criticism for allegedly sidelining senior leaders within the CCC, raising questions about the party’s commitment to democratic principles. Dr. Ruhanya labeled the reported actions as “authoritarian practices” and warned against the paradox of using such methods to oppose an authoritarian regime.
If the opposition in Zimbabwe wants to be authoritarian as its way of procedure, it must dissolve and join ZANU PF, the home of authoritarianism, dictatorship, witchcraft and sorcery. We dont expect lipstick and face powder democracy from the opposition
— Pedzisai Ruhanya (@PedzisaiRuhanya) December 15, 2023
“You can’t use authoritarian practices and methods to fight against an authoritarian regime. That’s OXYMORONIC, that’s an antithesis of the thesis, and we disagree without fear,” Dr. Ruhanya emphasized, underlining the importance of maintaining consistency in democratic values.
Furthermore, the Human Rights Lawyer stressed that an authoritarian opposition would be ineffective in challenging an authoritarian regime, citing historical precedents. Dr. Ruhanya argued that the opposition must speak truth to itself and address internal issues to effectively confront external challenges.
“The opposition in Zimbabwe can’t speak truth to power if it can’t speak truth to itself, among itself,” he stated, reiterating the need for a united and democratic front within the opposition.