MDC Criticises Chief Samambwa For Openly Backing Mnangagwa's 2023 Candidature

The opposition MDC said that a Midlands traditional leader’s open pledge to President Emmerson Mnangagwa that chiefs in the province voted for him in the previous election and that they will do so again was an affront to democracy.

MDC deputy spokesperson Luke Tamborinyoka made the remarks on Monday following Chief Samuel Samambwa, a chief from Kwekwe’s revelations that he, and other chiefs in the province firmly supported ZANU PF. Said Tamborinyoka:

This is exactly what is wrong with our elections. We have Zanu PF abusing our traditional leaders against the letter and spirit of the Constitution. Traditional leaders are not supposed to further or dent the interests of any political party.

The Constitution of Zimbabwe stipulates that chiefs are not allowed to dabble in politics, with  Chief Ndiweni of Natbazinduna being dethroned after he attended an MDC Congress in 2019.

In April 2018, Chief Samambwa publicly applauded Mnangagwa and his deputy Constantino Chiwenga for heading “Operation Restore Legacy“, a euphemism for the military coup that ended the late Robert Mugabe’s long iron-fisted rule.

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