A TRADITIONAL leader has been dragged to court for a chanting slogan in support of the push to amend the Constitution for President Emmerson Mnangagwa to extend his stay in office.
Mnangagwa’s term expires in 2028, but there is a spirited push by his loyalists for him to stay on until 2030.
Zanu PF has already announced plans to amend the Constitution to facilitate Mnangagwa’s presidential term extension.
Mnangagwa has twice categorically stated that he will leave at the end of his constitutionally-mandated two terms in 2028.
In Mashonaland East, Stanley Chimanikire, who is Chief Seke designate, has found himself in trouble for chanting the Mnangagwa 2030 slogan, according to the Legal Monitor.
He allegedly also declared his allegiance to Zanu PF, in violation of provisions of the Constitution, which outlaw parochial conduct on the part of traditional leaders.
Chief Seke was hauled before the High Court by Esther Vongai Zimudzi, a pro-democracy campaigner, over the remarks he allegedly made during an address at a recent meeting in Seke.
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,” he allegedly said.
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In an application filed by Zimudzi’s lawyer Obey Shava of the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights, the pro-democracy campaigner said Chief Seke violated some provisions of the Constitution.
He cited section 281 of the Constitution and section 45 of the Traditional Leaders Act.
Zimudzi argued that Chief Seke’s utterances endorsing Mnangagwa and pledging allegiance to Zanu PF were unconstitutional.
She contended that her political rights and right to impartial and apolitical conduct by traditional leaders were infringed.
Zimudzi argued that Chief Seke’s statements were an affront to section 67(1) and (2) of the Constitution which guarantees political rights and section 281 of the Constitution, which prescribes that traditional leaders must be impartial and non-partisan.
Zimudzi cited the National Council of Chiefs, Local Government minister Daniel Garwe and Attorney-General Virginia Mabhiza as respondents.
The matter is yet to be set down for hearing at the High Court.
Zimudzi wants the High Court to order Chief Seke to retract his partisan utterances made in national newspapers.
She also wants the High Court to direct the National Council of Chiefs to commence disciplinary proceedings against Chief Seke.
In 2018, Chief Fortune Charumbira was hauled before the High Court by Elton Mangoma, who was the leader of Renewal Democrats of Zimbabwe political party, over utterances in support of Zanu PF.
Traditional leaders have often been accused of forcing their subjects to support Zanu PF during elections to the extent of threatening to take away their land for supporting the opposition, or denying them government-sourced food aid.
In return, Zanu PF has pampered chiefs with cars and other freebies.
