SELF-STYLED King Munhumutapa, born Timothy Chiminya, has written to the Chief Registrar of the Constitutional Court (ConCourt) seeking assistance to stop government from appointing and enthroning traditional leaders in Zimbabwe, arguing that they fall under his jurisdiction.
In a letter dated September 30 addressed to the chief registrar of the ConCourt, Chiminya listed a cocktail of issues which he said were being done wrongly by the governing authorities with regards to traditional leadership in the country.
He said he acknowledged that judges made sure laws were implemented through their judgments and he wanted the Local Government and Public Works minister to be stopped from appointing and enthroning chiefs in Zimbabwe.
“The writ from the High Court demanding payment of US$69 600 from the Local Government and Public Works minister be processed as was granted by Justice Munangati Manongwa on September 30, 2022 HC 3981/22,” he said.
Chiminya said the chief registrar’s office should ensure the payment of outstanding wages to Mambo Munhumutapa as was spelt out in the letter of demand of August 19, 2024.
“The High Court order of September 28, 2024 remains valid because of the bar given by the High Court on September 26, 2024 which will remain effective until the defendant is compliant. We understand the decision that had been made, but because of the bar, the PTC [pre-trial conference] minutes must be stopped because they are null and void,” Chiminya wrote.
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“Mambo Munhumutapa is willing to assist President Emmerson Mnangagwa on matters of appointing and enthroning chiefs. We notify the Parliament of Zimbabwe through (Speaker) Jacob Mudeda, all senators and chiefs to stop exercising duties and powers to do with traditional leaders in Zimbabwe.”
On August 19 this year, Chiminya wrote to the Local Government and Public Works ministry demanding payment of his outstanding wages and allowances as per the High Court order.
He said the High Court made the order with regards to his case on September 28, 2022, but no payment had been made.
Chiminya sued government over his outstanding wages and allowances and the High Court granted his application and ordered government to pay him as per the quantification arrived at.
The latest development comes at a time when Chiminya has opposed a High Court application made by the Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs ministry challenging his position.
Chiminya obtained an order of the High Court issued by Justice Piscilla Manongwa-Munangati, who ordered the ministry to pay him his outstanding wages and allowances as King Munhumutapa.
However, the ministry sought a rescission of the judgment after government labelled him an impostor.
Chiminya, who recently appeared before Justice Siyabona Musithu, opposed the application arguing that Zanu PF acknowledged him as King Munhumutapa by using him to perform rituals for the ruling party.
Justice Musithu ordered that the matter should proceed to trial.
The Justice ministry recently issued a statement saying the Constitution does not have a provision for kings, adding that Chiminya’s claim to be King Munhumutapa was, therefore, unconstitutional and a nullity.
The Local Government and Public Works ministry issued a follow-up statement labelling Chiminya as an impostor.
King Munhumutapa, also known as Mwenemutapa, was the ruler of the ancient Kingdom of Mutapa (sometimes referred to as the Mutapa Empire), which existed in what is now Zimbabwe and extended to parts of Mozambique.
On September 25 this year, Chiminya filed a notice to bar the Local Government ministry, noting that the defendant failed to defend his summons against government as per rules.