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Samambwa drags Mnangagwa to court

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THE three-year-old Samambwa chieftainship wrangle has taken a new twist with David Samambwa taking President Emmerson Mnangagwa to court challenging the instalment of his rival, Samuel Samambwa, as substantive traditional leader of the area.

THE three-year-old Samambwa chieftainship wrangle has taken a new twist with David Samambwa taking President Emmerson Mnangagwa to court challenging the instalment of his rival, Samuel Samambwa, as substantive traditional leader of the area.

BY STAFF REPORTER

David, who is claiming the right to the chieftainship on the basis that he was older than the incumbent, also cited Local Government minister July Moyo and registrar-general Tobaiwa Mudede, as co-defendants in the application.

Through his lawyer Obert Gutu, David said the chieftainship should be handed to him based on official birth records kept at Mudede’s office.

During a meeting held on September 16 in 2015, then Local Government minister Saviour Kasukuwere endorsed the appointment of David as heir apparent based on the strength of documents provided, but the matter was affected by Zanu PF factional fights, resulting in Samuel’s appointment, instead.

David said former President Robert Mugabe had appointed him chief, but he was shocked to learn that on taking over, Mnangagwa overturned his appointment.

“Mugabe, who occupied the Office of President at the time, duly appointed me as substantive Chief Samambwa on October 20, 2016. My purported removal from office of substantive Chief Samambwa on December 12 last year by Mnangagwa, is null and void,” submitted David.

David said because Mugabe had appointed him, Mnangagwa could not change that appointment because it was done constitutionally.

“The President of this nation, despite the change of person now occupying that office cannot have two bites of the cherry by purporting to exercise a constitutional power which was fully and effectually exercised on October 20, 2016 by his predecessor,” David submitted.