Source: Chiefs are apolitical, insists Charumbira – NewsDay Zimbabwe June 26, 2017
PRESIDENT of the Chiefs’ Council, Chief Fortune Charumbira, has denied opposition parties and civic society groups’ claims that traditional leaders were dabbling in Zanu PF party politics.
BY VENERANDA LANGA
Addressing civic society groups and members of the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Justice in Bulawayo on Saturday, Charumbira insisted that chiefs were apolitical.
“The preamble of the Constitution is very clear that chiefs must be embraced as one of the bedrocks of democratic institutions in this country, and section 62 of the Constitution says we should recognise their role and status, but we are, in fact, demeaning the chiefs,” he said.
“The Constitution is very clear that chiefs must be apolitical, and we are very much aware of that and we are apolitical. We are actually better in terms of involvement of chiefs in politics because in other countries like South Africa chiefs are in Parliament through political tickets, but in Zimbabwe we do not allow it. In Namibia, we have chiefs that are heads of political parties.”
He said local chiefs must be respected, and gave an example of England where the Queen does not influence politics, but is recognised to the extent that every political party which wins goes to the Queen to seek permission to form a government.
“However, in Zimbabwe you want to chase away chiefs from electoral processes. The amendments to the Electoral Act have too much acrimony. The politics in the country is full of insults and acrimony and it is also reflected in the way chiefs behave.”
Charumbira said he would oppose the proposed crafting of a code of conduct to guide traditional leaders.
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