Chief Njelele of Gokwe said it is “insane” to believe that an opposition political party will govern Zimbabwe.
Chief Njelele, born Moses Misheck Njelele, said that traditional leaders are fully behind President Emmerson Mnangagwa and ZANU PF ahead of the 2023 harmonised elections.
Addressing farmers during a Cotton Company of Zimbabwe (COTTCO) organised event in Hurungwe in Mashonaland West, last week, the traditional leader said:
Chiefs were the ones dispossessed of their ancestral land by enemies and not political parties.
The land has been repossessed and you say there is this person coming out of university who must come and rule this country… are you normal, are you sane? Does it work?
l don’t want to hear that in my jurisdiction (Gokwe). Where the President is, Chiefs are there, and where the Chiefs are is where ZANU PF is.
Section 281 (2) of the Constitution forbids traditional leaders from being members of any political party or in any way participating in partisan politics, acting in a partisan manner, furthering the interests of any political party or cause or violating the fundamental rights and freedoms of any person.
Meanwhile, Chief Njelele bemoaned poor cotton prices which force many farmers to accept payment using groceries. He said:
I came here specifically with a single aim; to give an update on our visit to the President to register displeasure by cotton farmers who have not been paid since 2020.
You saw some being paid with Mazoe (drink), cooking oil and other groceries. We then said what kind of a country have we become, which does such things.
More: NewZimbabwe