Speaker of Parliament, Jacob Mudenda, has reversed the appointment of Citizens' Coalition for Change (CCC) legislators from a faction of the opposition movement as portfolio committee chairpersons.

This effectively weakens the CCC faction aligned with former leader Nelson Chamisa led by Jameson Timba.

On Tuesday, Mudenda claimed to have mistakenly acted on a letter written by Timba and rescinded the appointment of portfolio point persons made in February removing Chipinge South MP Clifford Hlatswayo as the CCC's Leader of the House.

Also affected was Nomathemba Ndlovu, the proportional representation MP for Matabeleland South, who was named chief whip in a letter sent to Parliament by Timba.

Other affected CCC MPs who were previously assigned to various positions were Shakespear Hamauswa (deputy chief whip); Charlton Hwende (Public Accounts); Joanna Mamombe (Environment & Climate); Lesley Mhangwa (Energy & Power Development); Daniel Molokele (Health and Child Care); Caston Matewu (Information); Minenhle Gumede (Higher Education) and Surrender Kapoikulu (ICT).

In a brazen act, which political commentators have described as a death nail on democracy, Mudenda has now invited a rival faction led by Welshman Ncube to submit its list of leaders in the August House.

There are now two distinct CCC factions in Parliament with one composed of Chamisa loyalists and fronted by Timba and another aligned to CCC self-styled secretary-general Sengezo Tshabangu, who has christened Welshman Ncube as its leader.

The latest political development comes hot on the heels of Zimbabwe's main opposition political formation led by Timba naming a shadow Cabinet comprising 16 shadow ministers and their deputies.

In a recent statement, the CCC faction said the shadow Cabinet was tasked with holding the Zanu PF government led by President Emmerson Mnangagwa accountable and promoting alternative policies and ideas, among others.