Tendai Biti ‘Quits’ Politics, Dumps CCC
In a surprising turn of events, veteran opposition politician Tendai Biti has temporarily quit politics and distanced himself from the Citizens’ Coalition for Change (CCC) which Welshman Ncube currently leads.
Interestingly, Biti was supposed to take over as CCC president from the current leader Welshman Ncube on a rotational basis.
Back in February this year. the CCC addressed the leadership vacuum left by Nelson Chamisa’s departure by introducing a rotational interim leadership structure. Welshman Ncube was appointed as the acting president, with the understanding that he would serve in this capacity for 90 days, as part of the rotational interim leadership structure.
According to this arrangement, Tendai Biti was meant to assume the role of acting president after Ncube’s term, followed by Lynette Karenyi-Kore. The plan was for these three individuals to continue rotating as the party’s leaders every 90 days until the party’s congress took place.
Now, Biti has pulled the rug under everyone’s feet and announced his temporary departure from politics. He stated that he is taking a sabbatical from the political arena to engage in a period of introspection. Biti shared this news during an interview on HSTV’s #FreeTalk show. He explained that he intends to focus on alternative ways to challenge the ruling party, ZANU-PF, and work towards its removal from power.
Biti firmly denied any knowledge of or agreement to serve as CCC’s rotational president saying that he was not part of the meeting that made that decision.
“Everyone has a constitutional right of controlling his own affairs, at the present moment and time as Tendai Biti, I have taken a time out in certain spaces and political spaces. I am not sure of the meeting you are referring to, I am not aware of the meeting that made me a rotational president,” Biti said.
During his conversation with HSTV, Biti also discussed his ongoing efforts to remove ZANU-PF from power. He revealed plans to release a book before the end of the year, shedding light on the nature of liberation movements and other related topics. Additionally, he hinted at his involvement in strategic litigation as a lawyer, although he chose not to completely remove the veil on his activities.
“As an individual, I occupy spaces, I am a lawyer, I am doing what I have been doing in the courts, with my strategic litigation. I am busy writing, I think we are going to produce a book before the end of the year on unpacking liberation movements and so forth,” Biti partly disclosed to HSTV.
Biti concluded by explaining his decision to temporarily withdraw from politics. He emphasized that he is currently in a phase of rest and self-reflection while remaining dedicated to the pursuit of democratic change in Zimbabwe.
“But as an individual I am also entitled to rest, to have a sabbatical and so forth. So I am in that mode of complete, I don’t want to say isolation, complete time out if you like, but I still remain driven, by the fact that we must have democratic change in Zimbabwe,” Biti said in an interview with HSTV.
Biti’s latest stance is in a shocking departure from his declaration following Nelson Chamisa’s resignation that he is the CCC’s Vice president and he is going nowhere.
