Main opposition leader Nelson Chamisa has dumped the controversial MDC Alliance party name and formed a new political party called Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC).
Addressing journalists at a press conference at the Bronte Hotel, Chamisa unveiled the name for his new party. He said the party had also dumped the color red and chose gold and yellow as the new colors.
Chamisa said his new party is now called ‘Citizens Coalition For Change’. He further added that the new party still was to stand with the ideas and inspiration of the late founding father of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC). MDC was formed in 1999 as a labour movement.
“If you look at the money spent fighting us, but guess what, we are still standing. We have weathered the storm.
“Some people may ask, ‘have you abandoned Tsvangirai’s legacy? Far from it. Tsvangirai’s whispers are still fresh in my mind. It’s not about the institution, it’s about the hope for the future,” Chamisa said.
Chamisa and his movement dumped MDC Alliance after the smaller MDC-T party led by Douglas Mwonzora grabbed it after seizing properties and funds which belonged to the former.
Asked what would happen to his members who are still in Parliament under the former party like Job Sikhala and Daniel Molokele among others, Chamisa said his members were “not worried” about the imminent recall “because they were chosen by the people.”
“It is the citizens who voted for the MPs who are in Parliament. Nobody has the right to temper with the mandate of the citizens. If they so choose, so be it. And these MPs are not worried because they were chosen by the people,” Chamisa said while Sikhala was nodding his head.
In an interview with Nehanda Radio, MDC-T spokesperson Fadzayi Mahere said “Section 129k of the constitution of Zimbabwe is no respecter of persons.”
He added: “It is very clear that if anyone joins another party, they have expelled themselves from the MDC-T as articulated by section 139k of the Constitution.”