A traditional leader in Mashonaland East Province, Chief Seke, has been taken to court for allegedly chanting a slogan in support of amending the Constitution to allow President Emmerson Mnangagwa to extend his term beyond 2028, reported <a href="https://www.newsday.co.zw/local-news/article/200031777/traditional-leader-in-trouble-over-ed-2030-campaign">NewsDay</a>.
Stanley Chimanikire, the designated Chief Seke, faces legal action from pro-democracy campaigner Esther Vongai Zimudzi, who claims he publicly endorsed the “Mnangagwa 2030” slogan.
This incident reportedly occurred during a recent address at a meeting in the Seke communal lands. He allegedly said:
<blockquote>
2030 VaMnangagwa vanenge vachitonga, Pamberi neZANU PF. Pasi nemhandu, which loosely translates to “Mnangagwa will still be ruling in 2030, forward with ZANU PF, down with the enemy”.
</blockquote>
In an application filed by Zimudzi’s lawyer, Obey Shava of the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR), pro-democracy campaigner Zimudzi alleges that Chief Seke violated several provisions of the Constitution.
She cites Section 281 of the Constitution and Section 45 of the Traditional Leaders Act, arguing that Chief Seke’s endorsement of President Mnangagwa and his pledge of allegiance to ZANU PF is unconstitutional.
Zimudzi contends that her political rights and the expectation of impartial and apolitical conduct by traditional leaders have been infringed upon.
Zimudzi claims that Chief Seke’s statements violate Sections 67(1) and (2) of the Constitution, which guarantee political rights, as well as Section 281, which mandates that traditional leaders remain impartial and non-partisan.
In her application, Zimudzi has named the National Council of Chiefs, Local Government Minister Daniel Garwe, and Attorney-General Virginia Mabhiza as respondents.
The matter is yet to be scheduled for a hearing at the High Court. Zimudzi seeks an order compelling Chief Seke to retract his partisan statements published in national newspapers and requests that the National Council of Chiefs initiate disciplinary proceedings against him.
While President Mnangagwa’s second and final term is set to expire in 2028, some of his loyalists within ZANU PF are pushing for an amendment to the Constitution that would allow him to remain in power until 2030.
However, Mnangagwa has repeatedly affirmed his commitment to stepping down at the end of his constitutionally mandated two terms in 2028.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Pindula News

Chief Seke supported changing the law so President Mnangagwa can rule until 2030. A woman is suing him for breaking the constitution. She says traditional leaders should not be political. The case is going to the High Court. Some people want Mnangagwa to stay in power until 2030, but he says he will step down in 2028. The court will decide if Chief Seke was wrong in supporting this idea.

Traditional Leader Sued For Endorsing Term Extension For Mnangagwa

Traditional leaders (chiefs) have requested the Government to give them diplomatic passports for ease of travel across borders.
The call was made by Chief Clemence Nembiri of Mt Darwin in Manicaland province during a question-and-answer session at a Civil Registry Department workshop held last Wednesday. He said:
<blockquote>
There is a need for chiefs to be given diplomatic passports. At the moment you find that these documents are even given to people whose leadership position is never guaranteed but is at the mercy of either the appointing authority or the people who vote.
Such people may be in power for just a few years yet they are quickly given diplomatic passports but a chief, whose title is neither by appointment nor through the ballot does not have that privilege.
We are harassed at the borders despite the fact that we lead the masses too.
</blockquote>
In response, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage Major General (Rtd) Dr Gerald Gwinji said:
<blockquote>
As a Ministry, we do not determine who gets a diplomatic passport and who does not. That is done by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Relations.
Ours is only to process upon communication from Foreign Affairs that so and so must be a recipient of a diplomatic passport.
However, I will engage and pass on the request and we will copy the president of the Chiefs Council as proof of that engagement.
</blockquote>
A diplomatic passport is a type of identity document that is only issued to certain individuals.
The holder can cross international borders while bypassing a lot of the typical travel regulations that regular passport holders must follow.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Traditional Leaders Ask For Diplomatic Passports

Chief Malisa of Silobela has ordered his subjects to vote for President Emmerson Mnangagwa in the upcoming general elections, saying he fought for the country’s liberation from colonial rule.
Speaking during Independence Day celebrations held at Mutimutema Secondary School in Silobela, Chief Malisa Mnangagwa said Mnangagwa initiated several developmental projects in his area such as the construction of dams. <a href="https://www.newzimbabwe.com/silobela-chief-orders-subjects-to-canvass-for-zanu-pf-lauds-mnangagwa-for-good-governance/">NewZimbabwe.com</a> quoted Chief Malisa as saying:
<blockquote>
The President wants 6 million votes and we have to mobilise. If you leave from here, each person must go and mobilise at least 10 of his own people, for the President.
The President wants us to give him a fresh mandate and we are going to give him that because he fought for the country and gave us land so that we will live peacefully and continue to develop.
</blockquote>
The Constitution of Zimbabwe forbids traditional leaders from being members of any political party as this greatly compromises the discharge of their duties such as resolving disputes amongst people in their communities.
The Constitution clearly stipulates in Chapter 15 section 281 (2) that:
<blockquote>
Traditional leaders must not–(a) be members of any political party or in any way participate in partisan politics; (b) act in a partisan manner; (c) further the interests of any political party or cause; or (d) violate the fundamental rights and freedoms of any person.
</blockquote>
More: <a href="https://zero.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Silobela Chief Orders Subjects To Mobilise Votes For ZANU PF

A man in Mashonaland West Province reportedly convinced villagers that he was a traditional leader, Chief Devera, and made them pay tribute with livestock, menial jobs, and cash, among other things, for three years.
The man, Simbarase Chikuya, in 2019 told villagers that he had been appointed Chief Devera by President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
Since assuming the “throne”, ” Chief Devera” has made villagers in Chakari, Chegutu Six and Sanyati take turns to guard him.
The villagers have been taking turns guarding him and the homestead they built for him on a rock promontory.
However, records at the Ministry of Local Government in Kadoma show that the Devera chieftainship was abolished in Rhodesia and has not yet been resuscitated.
In an interview with <a href="https://www.herald.co.zw/bogus-chief-fleeces-villagers-of-livestock-cash-free-labour/">The Herald</a>, Fanuel Yothum Torimirashiri, who resides close to Chakari Mine, said the “bogus” chief made villagers contribute seed, fertilizer, draught power, and labour every farming season. He said:
<blockquote>
He lied to us that President Mnangagwa had appointed him chief in 2019 and that within weeks, he would be anointed at a ceremony in front of us all.
He then appointed me his secretary and for three years we collected livestock, goods and cash from villagers. We have the records.
We even forced people to work for him in the fields and building his compound and shrine until recently when I differed with him for continuously demanding all sorts of payments from poor villagers, when the Government does not recognize the chieftainship.
We are not sure how we got blinded by this man who is not even a member of our clan. Now we know he is not a chief.
The Government has not appointed him chief. He is nothing. When it all started in 2019, he told us he had been appointed our chief by the President and we believed him.
We were taking turns buying him airtime, bread and everything. I would personally deliver the bread by bicycle to his home.
Later he demanded the bicycle itself and I had to sell it, to avoid it being confiscated.
</blockquote>
According to Torimirashiri’s records, corroborated by the eldest living Devera clan member Zivanai Muza, two headmen were appointed and made to pay six cattle each or USD$300, to buy the position. One of those who paid was Chuma Gora.
The 43 village heads appointed by Chikuya were made to pay a beast each at the same United States Dollars equivalent.
Chikuya on Friday told The Herald that he was appointed Chief Devera in 2019 and only waiting for an official ceremony. He said:
<blockquote>
I am their chief. I have been working towards the resuscitation of our chieftainship abolished in 1857.
I am just waiting for President Mnangagwa to come down here and anoint me. The venue will be Chakari Stadium.
No one is contesting that I am the chief. My papers are now in high offices.
All you hear is the work of detractors. Those I appointed into positions like village heads or headmen are my working team to put structures in place. People gave me goods of their own will.
</blockquote>
Chikuya claimed that the chiefdom straddles the vast gold-rich land that borders Chief Neuso to the west, chief Ngezi to the south and east and Makonde to the north.
Muza, who claims to be the oldest living member of the Devera clan, said Chikuya is from Gokwe and came to the area following his lover.
He said the “bogus” chief came to the place as a traditional healer, a Tsikamutanda.

Traditional Leader Latest News

Latest Jobs