Traditional leadership institutions play a critical role in Zimbabwe for they are at the core of the country’s success to achieving its developmental objectives.
Opinion by Ropafadzo Mapimhidze
Chiefs are expected to embrace people from different walks of life, including those who may have divergent views about politics. But the situation on the ground does not seem to reflect this at all.
I spent the whole of last week in Masvingo awaiting trial following a report made by 32-year-old Rangarirai Bwawanda, also known as Chief Nhema of Zaka District, who accused me of threatening him over the phone.
He accused me of being an MDC-T supporter.
This happened after I had visited Zaka District around October last year, where many villagers complained that this chief was allegedly threatening villagers with worse punishment than what happened during the 2008 post-election violence if they did not vote for Zanu PF.
Over 200 MDC-T supporters were killed countrywide during this period. When I asked him to comment over these allegations, the chief went ballistic. He ranted on and on and never gave me the opportunity to ask further questions.
I ended the conversation upon realising that I was getting nowhere. I was, however, surprised to receive a telephone call from Zaka police, approximately two days later, advising me to come to Zaka to record a statement about the alleged threats.
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My company hired services of a lawyer, Martin Mureri Matutu from Kwirira and Associates who took charge of the matter until the time of going to court on Monday last week.
The chief stood in court and described how I had allegedly threatened him. This, he said, had been prompted by the fact that his house was set alight after the March 2008 harmonised elections.
He said I had warned him that I would cause more destruction to his property or perhaps hurt him. I had called him using a company land line, introduced myself and told him to comment about allegations levelled against him.
Any professional journalist will balance his or her story with voices coming from both sides. I did not hide my identity as the company telephone number reflected on his mobile phone.
When I realised I was wasting time talking to someone who clearly demonstrated that he was an arrogant and conceited person, I ended the conversation.
What threats did I pose to this “honourable” chief? How can a woman threaten a chief who goes around with a handful of aides that protect him? Fabrication of facts by a man who is supposed to be held in high esteem really baffled me.
The lies he made under oath traumatised me. If this is how chiefs are behaving in other districts of Zimbabwe, I dread to imagine what will happen to innocent peace-loving people of this beautiful country.
I never threatened the chief, but wanted to get his comment over allegations that he was summoning villagers in his area threatening them with unspecified action if they did not vote for Zanu PF.
He mentioned in court that he was a chief who represented all people including members of the opposition parties. But he, however, went on to say that an MDC-T councillor once came to his homestead with members of the opposition party wanting to know why their names had been deleted off the list of maize beneficiaries.
Why then did he delete their names if he purports to represent everyone under his jurisdiction?
The councillor is apparently also a woman who bore the brunt of post-election violence which resulted in hospitalisation of her husband, a retired soldier who was shot in the foot and lost a toe. Their homestead was set ablaze after property had been looted. Four permanent structures were destroyed.
Everywhere I went around Zaka Central, villagers had no kind words for Bwawanda.
Bwawanda further stated in court that the day following the alleged arson of his home, Zanu PF cadres set up a base at his house. The former Smith regime turned local chiefs into moles and caused deaths of thousands of civilians and war collaborators who fought for the independence of this country.
The same tactic has been used this time around. The terror campaign during the harmonised elections became a brother-to-brother conflict which, unfortunately, did not benefit anyone.
Chiefs have become political tools that have also politicised food aid that skirts members of the opposition parties. So does it mean then that should there be a change in political leadership, chiefs will be booted out? This incident clearly demonstrated to me that chiefs are now tied into partisan politics.
As I was leaving the Masvingo |Magistrates’ Court, Bwawanda walked past me with a boisterous gait as he headed towards his car. He had tried engaging in a discussion with me, but I dismissed him forthwith.
He jumped into a black car, which he struggled to get into due to his large frame, and drove past me and the lawyer, at high speed.We just stood there in awe. Judgment was to be passed the following day, but the over-excited chief was nowhere to be seen.
I salute the judiciary in Masvingo for executing their duties in the most professional manner. Zimbabwe does have a credible judiciary after all.
The matter was dismissed totally as there was no sufficient evidence to pin me down. I, however, am not happy with how Zaka police handled this matter. Why did they record Bwawanda’s statement over the phone and yet they wanted me to come down there to write mine?
If this is not abuse of office, then what is it? The lawyer said Bwawanda was simply trying to prove that he is powerful and untouchable that is why he never visited the police station to make a complaint.
The fact, however, remains that Bwawanda, whose chieftainship is disputed, is just too young to run that vast district. This calls for a rethink about his capabilities to manage villagers, an issue which is under debate in Zaka.
