Historically, traditional leaders in their
role as custodians of culture and
tradition
were
highly
respected
On 8 February, Chief Kasekete of Muzarabani South
individuals at the centre of instilling
delivered a speech in favour of Zanu PF at Hoya Primary
values of love, unity and peace within
School in ward 17. The chief, ordered the village council of
their areas of jurisdiction. The narrative
elders to call for an urgent developmental meeting.
Villagers were forced to attend the meeting by village
has however since shifted with the
heads and Zanu PF leadership. Reports indicate that the
manipulation of traditional leaders by
agenda of the meeting changed when people had
politicians. Although the Zimbabwe
gathered. The chief, in his address praised President
Constitution clearly stipulates in Section
Mnangagwa and Zanu PF. He mocked the MDC ,
denouncing its President, Advocate Nelson Chamisa. He
281 (2) that traditional leaders must not
also threatened to deal with all opposition aspiring
be involved in partisan politics, ZPP
candidates citing that Muzarabani was a no go area for the
continuously receives reports where
MDC. MDC ward 17 and 18 Shadow Councillors were
certain traditional leaders openly declare
advised to leave MDC for Zanu PF to guarantee their
safety. In addition, he threatened to introduce tough
their allegiance to the ruling party and
measures to deal with all village heads that support MDC
act in a partisan manner. Reports of
and allow NGOs to hold meetings in their villages.
certain traditional leaders not being
transparent in how they handle levies
that are paid to them by villagers have been received. For instance, villagers in ward 25 in Makoni
West Constituency were disgruntled by the way the headman of the area who is also a Zanu PF
activist, Moses Zenda, failed to produce receipts for council levies which he had been collecting from
his subjects for the past two years. A villager indicated that she was yet to get the receipts for the
levies she had been paying and if she had money for transport she could have gone to Rusape to the
District Administrator’s Office to report the matter. Another villager echoed the same concerns of lack
of transparency by the traditional leadership in the area which was now causing mistrust of the
traditional leadership by citizens. When traditional leaders act in a partisan and non-transparent way
they are compromised and lose the trust and respect of citizens. This erodes their ability to be peace
makers particularly at a time when Zimbabwe requires measures to bring people together.
The demonstration by MDC youths in Harare’s CBD and the Chitungwiza clashes are pointers to the
agitation that is within the citizenry, particularly the youth. If government does not urgently address the
bread and butter issues that citizens are grappling with, the country is likely to experience more
pockets of such protests as citizens become more impatient. The Zimbabwe Congress of Trade
Unions (ZCTU) has indicated they are consulting their membership on possible actions meant to
influence the government to accede to workers’ demand for a living wage 4. The MDC has also
threatened mass protests across the country. Measures need to be taken to address the concerns of
citizens. Already certain reports received by ZPP indicate that citizens in some areas no longer sit
back and watch their rights being violated. In an incident received from Marondera Central, near
Marondera bus terminus Frank Katsvairo, a state agent threatened and intimidated a vendor after he
refused to pay a bribe for him to freely go about his vending. A brawl then broke out after Katsvairo
4
https://www.zimbabwesituation.com/news/zctu-plots-living-wage-protests/
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