Journalist-cum political activist Hopewell Chin’ono has denounced the country’s main opposition CCC leader, Nelson Chamisa, accusing him of dodging a question on the jailed CCC top official Job Sikhala’s political affiliation.
During a discussion on X, formerly Twitter, a person named George Matipa asked Chamisa if Sikhala is still part of the CCC and if the party is doing everything possible to secure his release. In response, Chamisa said:
Job is a Zimbabwean. He deserves freedom. His case is our cause and collective fight!!
The answer did not convince Chin’ono who argued that Chamisa was being evasive. He said:
The question was not whether Job Sikhala is Zimbabwean or not, it was whether Job Sikhaka is still seen as part of CCC or not. This evasiveness is what makes people think and say that the CCC leadership is not doing enough. The question was a missed opportunity to unite us all by not being evasive but straight up. The response has othered Job Sikhala as just a Zimbabwean and not CCC, it has subcontracted the job to fight to everyone who is Zimbabwean and not CCC which is supposed to be his political home. But I know that there are some who are not yet ready to call a spade a spade.
Sikhala, a former Member of Parliament for Zengeza West, has been incarcerated since 14 June 2022 on allegations of inciting public violence during the funeral wake of slain CCC activist Moreblessing Ali in the Nyatsime area. However, Sikhala vehemently denies these charges and argues that he is a political prisoner, being persecuted for his confrontations with the ruling party, ZANU PF, regarding maladministration and the erosion of the democratic space.
This comes at a time when the outspoken commentator arrived in Washington, D.C., to address a gathering and openly call for the removal of Nelson Chamisa from the leadership of the CCC (Citizens Coalition for Change). The meeting, scheduled for tonight, comes on the heels of Chin’ono’s recent declarations on his platforms, wherein he reiterated controversial statements made to a military officer in January 2023, asserting that the CCC party should split shortly after the 2023 elections due to Chamisa’s perceived incompetence.*
Chin’ono’s strong criticism of Chamisa and the CCC reached a peak just last Sunday when he tweeted, suggesting that the party’s leadership has divided Zimbabweans. His persistent repetition of the phrase “opposition has done nothing” both before and after his dramatic arrest in July 2020, has raised questions about the motives behind his high-profile detainment by ZANU PF. Furthermore, the timing of Chin’ono’s latest actions raises questions about the sincerity of his persecution profile, as he had recently been criticized for operating a disinformation campaign by @OpenSecretsZA. Chin’ono is now seemingly backed by Tafadzwa Matinenga, who is actively organizing meetings in the United States to denounce Chamisa. Notably, Matinenga, the daughter of lawyer Eric Matinenga, has not yet commented on the reasons for her involvement in these divisive meetings on US soil. The meeting details can be found on the attached poster. Hopewell Chin’ono’s transformation from a former supporter of the ZANU PF regime to a vocal critic of the CCC has left many wondering about his motivations and the future of Zimbabwean politics. This development promises to be a significant moment in the ongoing political landscape of Zimbabwe, as Chin’ono’s influence and the CCC’s leadership face intense scrutiny.-zimeye