Tinashe Sambiri- Controversial Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) Secretary-General Sengezo Tshabangu found himself under intense criticism on Friday after publicly praising President Emmerson Mnangagwa for securing key agreements with Nigerian billionaire Aliko Dangote. His comments ignited a storm of backlash, with many accusing him of double standards and openly aligning himself with ZANU PF despite claiming to lead the opposition bench.
Dangote, who visited Zimbabwe on Wednesday for high-level engagements with Mnangagwa and government officials, became the centre of heated political debate after Tshabangu enthusiastically endorsed the visit.
Posting on X, Tshabangu wrote:
“As a Senator and Leader of Opposition in Parly, I want to extend a warm welcome to Mr. Dangote, Africa’s richest business tycoon, to Zimbabwe. We appreciate our government’s open-for-business policy and wish him every success in his endeavors, Mat-North is open for bussiness.”
The statement immediately drew intense backlash from netizens who accused Tshabangu of abandoning opposition principles in favour of praising the ruling party.
One furious user condemned him for what they described as “shameless hypocrisy,” while others ridiculed him for “parroting ZANU PF slogans” instead of challenging government policies. Many argued that his public endorsements consistently expose him as a political actor working against genuine opposition interests.
The uproar further deepened when Tshabangu reportedly claimed that Dangote’s visit demonstrated why President Mnangagwa should remain in office beyond 2028, reinforcing suspicions that he is actively pushing ZANU PF’s agenda.
Tshabangu doubled down on his stance, adding:
“As opposition we support 2030 agenda because;
The government’s stability is reassuring.
There’s increased transparency.
The President has successfully turned the economy around.
The President has earned recognition, and it’s clear that his efforts are yielding results.”
These remarks only intensified accusations that Tshabangu is undermining the opposition’s mandate while openly campaigning for Mnangagwa’s prolonged stay in power.
