By Political Reporter
SELF –imposed CCC secretary general, Sengezo Tshabangu has threatened to derail CAB 3 progress in Senate if the stipulated demands are not met.
After successfully sailing through the National Assembly last week, the Bill was presented in Senate this week for the second reading.
Tshabangu’s camp controls 26 seats in Senate leaving Zanu-PF with no choice except to negotiate with them to secure the required 54 votes.
A local private daily newspaper this week reported that Tshabangu’s spokesperson, Nqobizitha Mlilo, confirmed that discussions with Zanu-PF were ongoing on the back of patience running out in their camp.
“We have met, are meeting and continue to engage. We do not want to be put in a position where we activate the nuclear option,” Mlilo said.
“Our requests are politically reasonable. We expect our colleagues to act in the national interest and not take us for granted. The nuclear option remains available.
“We are engaged in substantive dialogue, but dialogue cannot be endless and repetitive. Our demands are reasonable, patriotic, legally sound and in the national interest. If Zanu PF chooses to stall, we are fully prepared to deploy our definitive political leverage.”
Sources close to the negotiations said Tshabangu’s demands effectively amounted to influence over key government ministries, including Education, Public Service, Health and Foreign Affairs.
Mlilo, however, insisted the focus was on governance reforms rather than positions.
“We want a government of national consensus anchored by a National Governance Covenant,” he said.
“The covenant should focus on six priorities: free quality education; free quality healthcare; social grants for the elderly, vulnerable women and children; improved working conditions for public servants through a living wage and adequate tools of trade; a pan-African, multi-vector foreign policy; and protection of citizens’ civil and political rights as guaranteed by the Constitution.
“These are our primary demands. If they are not met, we will activate the nuclear option.”
