MDC Alliance leader Nelson Chamisa last Thursday received
backing from two traditional chiefs following a meeting with the traditional
leaders from Matabeleland who threw support behind him saying Zimbabwe must “do
away with old school politics”.
Traditional leaders have faced accusations of being an
appendage of the Zanu PF with Chiefs Council president Fortuner Charumbira
often in the forefront in openly supporting the ruling party.
Charumbira at the Zanu PF conference held in Esigodini,
Matabeleland South in December said chiefs belonged to Zanu PF.
On Thursday, Chamisa, alongside his deputy Morgan Komichi
and chairperson Tabitha Khumalo met representatives of Matabeleland Chiefs led
by outspoken Felix Nhlanhlayamangwe Ndiweni (Ntabazinduna) and Vezi Maduna
(Filabusi) at the party offices in the capital.
Khumalo and Ndiweni on Friday confirmed the meeting, with
the latter adding that Matabeleland chiefs’ wanted to appraise themselves on
Chamisa’s views on how he wanted to move the country forward, should he be in
power, among other issues.
“Chamisa shows maturity because he has intellect, he has
youthfulness behind him and can accept ideas very quickly and so the meeting
was much more receptive.
“We need something new, fresh that has not been tried and
not done before,” Ndiweni said in an interview.
“The other pool of politicians around is much older than
him and in many instances is stuck in their positions; it is difficult
sometimes to teach someone who is old new tricks.
“What I am talking about is that we need a mind that can
move very quickly, but what is really clear that old school politics will not
fix Zimbabwe.”
Khumalo was, however, non-committal about disclosing more
details on what was discussed in the closed door meeting.
Ndiweni and Maduna have been very vocal against government,
particularly on the Gukurahundi massacres that killed an estimated 20 000
people in Matabeleland and Midlands provinces. Standard
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