Sengezo Tshabangu, currently serving as the temporary secretary general of the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) party, has declared that political leader Nelson Chamisa is prohibited from using his image outside the party, even if he were to establish a new political entity. Tshabangu claims that Chamisa had agreed to cede ownership of his image to the CCC, making it exclusively the party’s symbol. Any attempt by Chamisa to use his image elsewhere would prompt legal action from the CCC, according to Tshabangu.
In a statement, Tshabangu asserted, ‘President Chamisa presented his face as a symbol for us to use, and we registered that face. So he can’t claim today that it’s his face. That’s the face of the party, and we are going to continue using it. Nobody is going to use that face. We will stop anybody who is going to use that face save for the party. He cannot use that face outside, unfortunately, the CCC party.’
Tshabangu emphasized that legal action would be taken if Chamisa were to leave the CCC and use his image elsewhere. Despite disagreements within the party, Tshabangu expressed confidence that the issues could be resolved amicably, insisting that the disputes were not rooted in ideological differences.
Regarding his role as the temporary secretary general, Tshabangu faces dissent from senior party members, including Chamisa himself, who dispute the existence of such a position within the party structure. Some even question Tshabangu’s party membership. In response, Tshabangu maintains that he holds the position temporarily, supported by an affidavit, and was appointed due to the inactivity of senior party members dissatisfied with Chamisa’s strategic approach for the 2023 elections. He declined to disclose the appointing authority but remains steadfast in his claim to the temporary secretary general role.
