Sengenzo Tshabangu, the self-appointed Secretary General of the Citizens Coalition for Change, has captured headlines this past week, but this time for a different reason. Instead of expelling party members from parliament or winning court cases, Tshabangu is making waves in Zimbabwean politics with his new role.

Tshabangu has been sworn in as the new Senator Secretary General for the Citizens Coalition for Change, taking on the role of a Senator in the upper House of Parliament. The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) confirmed this development through a gazetted letter published on their social media platforms last Friday. Tshabangu’s name was listed among those replacing Members of the Senate from the Citizens Coalition for Change.

However, Tshabangu’s appointment has not been without controversy. Social media users have criticized him for allegedly going against the principles he advocates for by appointing himself and his friends to senatorial positions. Tshabangu now holds the Senatorial seat for Matabeleland North, while his loyalist, Advocate Kucaca Ivume, has taken over as Senator in Bulawayo, replacing a former party leader loyalist of Nelson Chamisa.

In the midst of these changes, several of Chamisa’s loyalists have stepped down from both parliament and the Citizens Coalition for Change Party. Some are running as independent candidates in by-elections after being expelled from the party and parliament. Hon. Amos Chibaya and Hon. Gift Ostallos Siziba have been actively campaigning across the country, spreading the message of a new movement under Advocate Nelson Chamisa.