A traditional leader from Mberengwa, Midlands province has urged his subjects to vote for the ruling ZANU PF in the 2023 elections.
Chief Andrew Bvute said this last week during commemorations of the International Day of Peace at Vanguard Mine, NewsDay reported.
He declared his love for Zanu PF and urged people to register to vote and vote for the ruling party. Chief Bvute said:
To those who have not registered to vote, please do so and vote for the party that I love a lot — that is, Zanu PF.
Zanu PF is the party of choice and I urge you all to vote for it.
He said people without national identity cards would be assisted to get the documents so that they register to vote.
Civic society organisations (CSOs) and opposition political parties have been accusing traditional leaders of being partisan in favour of the ruling party in violation of the national Constitution which forbids them from being partisan.
In past elections, CSOs accused traditional leaders of force-marching their subjects to vote for ZANU PF.
The government of President Emmerson Mnangagwa has been giving traditional leaders goodies like vehicles and electricity connections to their homes with observers saying the ruling party was buying favours.