BY MIRIAM MANGWAYA
A DARING chief has warned President Emmerson Mnangagwa that he faces losing 2023 elections if he fails to rein in corrupt acolytes.
Chief Murinye, born Ephias Munodawafa of Masvingo, made the utterances on Monday, while attending a funeral in Masvingo rural.
In a video that is circulating on social media platforms, Chief Murinye bravely accused Mnangagwa of protecting corrupt cronies whom he claimed had impoverished Zimbabweans.
Several government officials attended the funeral.
Traditional leaders in the country are well known for their strong allegiance to the ruling Zanu PF party although a 2015 High Court ruling prohibited chiefs from declaring allegiance to any political party.
In the video, Chief Murinye said the time could be ideal for another coup similar to the 2017 upheaval that ousted the late former President Robert Mugabe.
“We are fed up. We are tired of criminals. They grab everything including minerals, impoverishing the poor. Now they are targeting oil in Muzarabani. ED (Mnangagwa) is my nephew, and if he does not take heed of my advice, he won’t make it in 2023,” he charged.
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“ED has a very good vision, but he has criminals surrounding him. I don’t know if we really should approach (Zimbabwe Defence Forces commander) Valerio Sibanda and ask him to repeat what he did. Zimbabwe has become a laughing stock in other countries.
“In South Africa for instance, it is so embarrassing to reveal your identity. The gap between the elite and the low-class people is so appalling. I am not proud of that kind of money. Give me nothing, strip me the chieftainship. I would rather be with my people and enjoy the sanity of standing for what is good.”
Chief Murinye also warned children of politicians against corruptly attaining wealth at the expense of suffering Zimbabweans.
Zanu PF spokesperson Christopher Mutsvangwa referred questions on the issue to the Local Government minister July Moyo.
“I cannot respond on behalf of the traditional leaders. The Local Government minister will respond to that. I am partisan and, therefore, cannot comment on the conduct of the traditional leaders.”
Moyo said: “I would not be monitoring the conduct of the chiefs, and I would not be aware of what they do on the issue of political interference. Traditional leaders can reprimand each other, and I cannot involve myself in that. Do I have powers to preside over a chief?”
Efforts to get a comment from Chiefs Council president Chief Fortune Charumbira were in vain as he was said to be busy.
Political analyst Eldred Masunungure said Chief Murinye’s utterances were a manifestation of growing discontent among rural folk and traditional leaders.
“A chief is the most senior in the traditional leadership ranks. Their utterances cannot be taken for granted. Of importance is that a chief is a mouth piece of his subjects. They speak on behalf of the people they lead,” Masunungure said.
“What chief (Murinye) said is a manifestation of a growing discontent and despair in the rural folks. The chief exercised his constitutional right to speak, but which may be limited under the Zanu PF regime.”
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