Zimbabwean Opposition Leader Chamisa Prevents ‘Impostor’ Tshabangu from Unauthorized Logo Use

CITIZENS Coalition for Change (CCC) leader Nelson Chamisa has written to the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) blocking self-imposed Secretary General Sengezo Tshabangu from using his face.

This comes as the opposition is gripped by internal fights with Tshabangu recalling CCC Members of Parliament on the pretext of him being the SG a position that the party has claimed is non-existent.

Tshabangu Monday endorsed his candidates to run for the February 3 by-elections using CCC symbols which include Chamisa’s face.

In a letter addressed to ZEC, Chamisa through his lawyers said the use of party symbols by individuals outside those provided by him is an illegality.

“We act for and on behalf of Advocate Nelson Chamisa, at whose instance we write. Kindly note our professional interest.

“Our client is the president of Citizens’ Coalition for Change political party formed on 22 January 2022.

“We are advised that in June 2023, he gave consent to specific candidates from the political party he leads, to use his face image as a logo in the harmonized elections held between 23 and 24 August 2023.

“Those who were granted permission to use the image of his face had their nomination papers, as more fully appears in your records, signed by the names appearing in a letter dated 15 June 2023 and received by yourselves on the same day. A copy of the said letter is attached hereto for your case of reference.

“We are advised that some individuals, other than the individuals mentioned above, have resorted to misappropriation of the image of our client’s face for purposes of misrepresenting and misleading the electorate. We advise that this is illegal,” read the letter.

Last month, Tshabangu’s candidates used CCC party symbols in the by-elections.

Tshabangu is on record saying he will continue to use CCC symbols as he is a bona-fide secretary general.