PRESIDENT
Emmerson Mnangagwa has been taken to task for allegedly stoking tribal tensions
in Chiredzi by “imposing” a Karanga to be chief of Shangani people in the
district.
Hlaisi Mundau,
who is Chief Tshovani, has also dragged the government to the High Court
contesting a decision to install Clement Madzingo as Chief Neromwe in his area
of jurisdiction.
Tshovani argues
that Madzingo’s appointment should be frozen pending his court application
under HC 2964/17 in which he is challenging the resuscitation of the Neromwe
chieftainship.
He said he was
not consulted over the matter despite the fact that the area for the proposed
chieftainship fell under his jurisdiction.
In a letter
addressed to Mnangagwa dated May 8, 2019, Mundau accused the president of
imposing Chief Neromwe in his area where there are Shangani people.
“My writing to
you is anchored by your acknowledgement of Clement Madzingo as Chief Neromwe
whereby you, as president of Zimbabwe, signed his papers for him to be a
substantive chief, imposing him on my land,” Tshovani’s letter reads in part.
Tshovani’s
lawyers Webb, Low and Barry legal practitioners sent the letter to the
president on the traditional leader’s instruction.
“The imposition
of non-existent chiefs was done by colonialists. Not even former president
(Robert) Mugabe during his 37 years of power did that,” he wrote.
“When such
matters of resuscitating old chieftainships arose, President Mugabe would
widely consult all parties concerned, but your new dispensation is imposing
without any consultation.
“The issue, if
you fail to handle it, has serious tribal connotations since I am a Shangani
chief, and the imposed Chief Neromwe in my area of jurisdiction is Karanga.”
The letter is
copied to Mnangagwa’s two deputies Kembo Mohadi and Constantino Chiwenga,
Attorney-General Prince Machaya, Chief Justice Luke Malaba and Local Government
minister July Moyo.
“This appeal is
made on my behalf as Chief Tshovani and indeed on behalf of my Milo clan, the
Shangani people and my concerned subjects under my jurisdiction. My argument is
also anchored by an attached affidavit from the vice- president of the national
Chiefs’ Council.
“I am saying
Chief Neromwe is a non-existent office because he has no land in the area that
he wants to be imposed on; that land is within my government-gazetted boundary
since time immemorial,” the letter adds.
An affidavit
attached to the letter by Chiefs’ Council deputy president Mtshane Khumalo,
also supports Chief Tshovani’s claims that Neromwe was imposed on the Shangani
people.
The appointment
of chiefs is governed by section 283 of the constitution. Khumalo said the
council was not consulted before the new chief was appointed. Standard
0 comments:
Post a Comment