The candidate put forward by the Sengezo Tshabangu-led faction of the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) for the Bulawayo City Council Ward 1 by-election on 3 October, Mduduzi Sibanda, is reportedly a card-carrying ZANU PF member. The claim has reignited debate about alleged infiltration of the CCC by ZANU PF, which some say led to […]
The candidate put forward by the Sengezo Tshabangu-led faction of the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) for the Bulawayo City Council Ward 1 by-election on 3 October, Mduduzi Sibanda, is reportedly a card-carrying ZANU PF member.
The claim has reignited debate about alleged infiltration of the CCC by ZANU PF, which some say led to party MPs supporting CAB3.
CCC founding leader Nelson Chamisa left the party in January 2024, saying it had been infiltrated and hijacked by the ruling party. He lost control of the party to Tshabangu, who declared himself interim secretary-general.
CCC interim treasurer-general Mbuso Siso, a close ally of Tshabangu, has confirmed that the organisation is backing Sibanda in Ward 1.
Sibanda lives at Jabulani Flats, a council-owned high-density complex in Bulawayo along Basch Street and Sixth Avenue Extension, next to Egodini Mall and the transport terminus. He is listed as belonging to ZANU PF’s Bulawayo province, Ziyaphapha Administration District Area 1, with membership number 152049. His branch is Metro Peech and his polling station is St. Patrick’s.
After being confirmed as the CCC candidate, Sibanda said his campaign will focus on immediate urban management issues, including illegal vending and littering.
The Ward 1 seat became vacant after the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works removed the previous councillor, Josiah Mutangi, following a misconduct conviction by an independent tribunal.
The Nomination Court sat at Small City Hall and confirmed three candidates: Sibanda (CCC), Shepherd Sithole (Independent) and Mathias Tichaona Tsikira (ZANU PF).
Sithole was first elected as Ward 1 councillor for Bulawayo Central under the CCC in the August 2023 elections, but his term was cut short in October 2023 when he was among several municipal leaders recalled by Tshabangu. He stood again in the December 2023 by-election under the CCC but lost to Mutangi of ZANU PF. Mutangi was later removed from office after the tribunal, leaving the seat vacant.
Sithole is now standing as an independent, saying he wants to represent residents directly rather than through party structures.
Meanwhile, government critic Thandekile Moyo has suggested Sibanda may not be a ZANU PF member in the political sense, noting that some people obtained party cards for other reasons.
Writing on X, she said: “But there’s a time when one needed a ZANU PF card to get certain loans. I remember there was once a spree in Gwanda to get ZANU PF cards for some loans from the Ministry of Women or something. Some people also say they were forced to have ZANU PF cards for protection from harassment. Does anyone else remember/know this?”
