The National Assembly published late yesterday in the Hansard that Zimbabwe's opposition Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC), had filled its vacant parliamentary committee positions following the recalling of chief whip Amos Chibaya and several others by the self-proclaimed interim secretary general of the party, Sengezo Tshabangu, who claimed that all the dumped parliamentarians were no longer CCC members.

According to the latest edition of the parliamentary publication, The Hansard, Speaker Jacob Mudenda announced that Clifford Hlatywayo was now the official leader of the opposition in the House of Assembly and deputized by Chinjai Kambuzuma. Sessel Zvidzai is the new party's chief whip in the Senate and his deputy is N. Ndlovu.

The party filled other parliamentary portfolio positions left vacant by recalled CCC lawmakers, who were barred by the High Court to contest in two by-elections under the opposition following Tshabangu's application to block them from participating in the polls.

Asked why they were still using the name CCC in the National Assembly following the party being dumped by founding leader Nelson Chamisa, last month, Hlatywayo said the party in parliament was under the leadership of Jameson Timba, who was co-opted as the interim caretaker chairman of the CCC.

Hlatywayo told VOA Studio 7 that "these are official positions filled by CCC lawmakers and this has nothing to do with the so-called Tshabangu 'side' of the party."

Comment was not immediately available from Tshabangu who sacked the CCC lawmakers.