Business assistant: Just when you thought the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) couldn’t get any more tangled in their own web of incompetence, the High Court steps in to deliver a scathing verdict that throws the party into utter chaos. Justice Mary Zimba-Dube ruled that all CCC positions stemming from the 2019 Gweru congress are now being held unlawfully, because apparently, the party forgot to hold elections. Sengezo Tshabangu, the interim secretary-general, gets his expulsion nullified and is reinstated, while the party’s leadership structure is left looking like a hot mess.

The court’s critique of the CCC’s legal team was brutal, accusing them of “copying and pasting” responses from previous cases, rendering their submissions completely irrelevant. Professor Welshman Ncube’s affidavit was deemed invalid due to his inability to identify his principal and for submitting an old party resolution unrelated to the current proceedings. The judge slammed the CCC’s legal team for their ineptitude, stating that pleadings should be drafted with diligence and attention to detail.

The implications of this ruling are far-reaching. Not only does it cast a shadow over the legitimacy of the entire CCC leadership structure, but it also means that Ncube and other officials claiming to represent the CCC are essentially impostors. The court declared that the terms of office for the party’s main organs expired on May 27, 2024, and that they have been holding office unlawfully since then.

Tshabangu’s legal challenge stemmed from his expulsion following a dispute over parliamentary portfolio committee appointments. He argued that the disciplinary committee that expelled him was unlawful, and the court agreed. The court also noted that the committee’s conduct was questionable, given that the hearing was held at a private property belonging to Willias Madzimure, and one of the committee members, Zvidzayi, had a clear conflict of interest.

The CCC’s defense was laughable, arguing that the terms of office should continue until replacements are elected. Meanwhile, the party’s future leadership and direction hang precariously in the balance, with divisions likely to deepen and the party’s fragile political standing further complicated. Ncube’s response to the judgment was predictable, blaming a “mistake” in submitting the wrong resolution and considering an application for rescission. Yeah, sure, a simple mistake. The court, however, was unconvinced, ordering the CCC to pay the costs of the application

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