Zimbabwe: 'I Left a Hijacked Vehicle, Not the People' - Chamisa Blasts Zanu-PF Over CCC Capture

23 June 2025

Former Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) leader Nelson Chamisa says his departure from the opposition party was a matter of principle and not a betrayal of the people of Zimbabwe.

In a candid interview with a local publication, Chamisa explained his controversial decision to walk away from the CCC last year, describing the party as compromised and under the control of the ruling ZANU-PF.

"Leaving the CCC is different from leaving the people of Zimbabwe whom I so deeply respect and value. I left the old vehicle only because ZANU-PF had captured and compromised it," Chamisa said.

He added that his resignation was necessary to preserve his integrity and the trust of his supporters.

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"As a matter of principle, leaving the old vehicle was necessary because people now know who is and who isn't. It's now so clear who is with the people and who is not," he said.

Chamisa also took aim at ZANU-PF's 2030 agenda which seeks to extend President Emmerson Mnangagwa's term of office describing it as "nonsense" and "a desperate attempt to avoid the people."

"The whole 2030 nonsense is a desperate attempt to avoid the people, and a desperate attempt to avoid the elections. It is an attempt to create a window for further destroying an otherwise beautiful country," he said.

He doubled down on his criticism of the current opposition setup accusing it of being an extension of ZANU-PF.

He said, "The current opposition is a creation and poodle of Zanu-PF."

Despite his departure from CCC, Chamisa said he remains committed to the Zimbabwean people and their democratic aspirations.

"Over two million Zimbabweans have shown their consistent trust and support, and I appreciate that. I will never betray these great Zimbabweans," he declared.

While Chamisa continues to enjoy widespread grassroots support -- particularly in Zimbabwe's urban centers, critics have accused him of weak leadership and poor internal party management, arguing that these failings have allowed Mnangagwa and the ruling party to tighten their grip on power.

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