Karenyi Kore elected new CCC president. The Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) has called for an urgent meeting to appoint a new president to replace Nelson Chamisa, who resigned on Thursday. The CCC’s leadership structure will revert to the officials elected at the MDC Alliance congress in Gweru in May 2019, before the party changed its name to CCC in January of last year.

In the meantime, Karenyi Kore, one of the CCC’s three vice presidents and the MP for Chikanga, has been appointed leader of the opposition in parliament, replacing Amos Chibaya, who was recalled by the CCC’s interim secretary general, Sengezo Tshabangu. Chibaya has been barred by the court from running in the upcoming by-elections on February 3.

Welshman Ncube and Tendai Biti, Chamisa’s former deputies, are expected to attend the meeting on Sunday. The dispute between Chamisa and the leaders elected at the MDC Alliance’s Gweru congress ultimately led to his decision to leave the party. While Chamisa argued that CCC was a new party with no existing positions, the other leaders felt excluded and accused him of staging a “coup.”

The CCC released a statement stating that power and authority will reside collectively with the national leadership elected at the Gweru national congress in May 2019. They also resolved to engage with Chamisa to address the issues he raised in his statement. Another leadership meeting will be convened urgently, and further announcements will be made thereafter.

The CCC is also seeking urgent talks with Sengezo Tshabangu, the interim secretary general. The party hopes that Tshabangu, who has advocated for a return to constitutionalism and collective decision-making, will be willing to surrender the party back to its elected officials.

Following Chamisa’s resignation, some CCC MPs have expressed their loyalty to him on social media, stating that they “stand with him.” However, none of the MPs have resigned thus far, although pressure may mount for them to disassociate themselves from the party.