By Victor Fanuel
BULAWAYO — Beleaguered opposition leader Nelson Chamisa’s attempt to build a new political vehicle has been plunged into fresh controversy after a violent clash between rival camps of his supporters over the weekend exposed deep factional divisions before the movement has even been formally launched.
The chaos erupted outside Lalani Lodge in Bulawayo, where Chamisa had gathered supporters ahead of a memorial service for late Ward 2 councillor Joyce Ndlovu.
Chamisa arrived to anchor the gathering alongside his trusted lieutenant Amos Chibaya, but the conspicuous absence of Gift Ostallos Siziba — who commands a formidable and fiercely loyal support base across Bulawayo Province — highlighted the growing tensions between two camps battling for influence around the former Citizens Coalition for Change leader.
Outside the lodge, supporters aligned to Chibaya and Siziba reportedly clashed violently in a confrontation that forced police intervention, with at least one opposition member arrested.
The scenes at Lalani Lodge have laid bare the challenges confronting Chamisa as he attempts to rebuild his political fortunes, with questions emerging over whether he can unite competing personalities and regional interests within his new project.
A source familiar with the disturbances described scenes of panic as rival groups confronted each other.
“Some jumped over walls and others hid around the lodge.
“A Range Rover belonging to Patrick Cheza was badly damaged.
“I heard Chamisa’s trousers were torn,” the source said.
Cheza, a former Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) parliamentary candidate for Chirumanzu constituency in the 2023 elections and now regarded as part of Chamisa’s inner circle, was among those whose vehicle was damaged during the confrontation.
Cheza had not responded to questions sent to him at the time of publication.
Amos Chibaya, however, denied being caught up in the reported attack and dismissed claims that he had been targeted.
“I was never at the mentioned lodge and I was never attacked.
“The rest is Zanu PF propaganda,” Chibaya said.
Siziba confirmed that he was not part of the secret meeting and distanced himself from the disturbances at Lalani Lodge.
“I was not at Lalani Lodge, nor was I part of any meeting,” he said.
The disturbances happened as Chamisa was in Bulawayo to attend a memorial service for Ndlovu at the Amphitheatre, with the events surrounding Lalani Lodge overshadowing the gathering.
For supporters and observers of the opposition movement, Siziba’s absence from the meeting was as significant as the clashes themselves.
The former CCC deputy spokesperson has built a strong support base in Bulawayo and across Matabeleland, where he remains one of the most influential figures among opposition activists.
Chibaya, meanwhile, remains one of Chamisa’s closest allies and has played a central role in organising support structures around the former CCC leader.
The rivalry between the two camps has been simmering since last year, when both men were accused by supporters of seeking prominence at political gatherings, including a funeral where their competing influence became increasingly visible.
The latest confrontation has now brought those tensions into the open, exposing a leadership challenge for Chamisa as he seeks to convince supporters that his new political project can avoid the internal conflicts that weakened previous opposition formations.
Chamisa left CCC in January 2024, claiming the party had been infiltrated, and later announced plans to establish a new movement that he said would provide a fresh alternative for Zimbabweans.
He set a 180-day timeline for the formalisation of the project, but as the deadline approached, the Bulawayo disturbances have raised questions over whether the movement has sufficient internal cohesion.
The confrontation at Lalani Lodge has also revived concerns about the influence of powerful personalities within opposition politics, where competing ambitions have historically contributed to splits and weakened organisational structures.
With Chibaya and Siziba commanding separate support bases, Chamisa now faces the difficult task of balancing competing interests while maintaining authority over a movement that is still taking shape.
The events in Bulawayo have provided an early test of his leadership — not against political opponents, but against the competing forces within his own camp.
