The state owned Herald newspaper on Thursday published a report saying Chief Negomo, Mr Luscious Chitsinde, yesterday summoned Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai to appear before his traditional court in Chiweshe on Saturday for paying lobola during the sacred month of November.
The Herald claimed that Chief Negomo last week summoned the Karimatsenga family to his court and found it guilty of violating the customary rule which stipulates that no traditional rituals should be performed in November. The chief delivered the summons at the PM’s Charter House offices in Harare in the company of his aides, Mr Watson Baziwell and Mr Cairo Mhandu.
Below is a press statement from the MDC responding to the ‘summons’
The MDC strongly condemns the awkward and legally foolish behaviour of Chief Negomo in trying to ” summon” President Tsvangirai to his “court” over the alleged marriage. What is clear is that Zanu PF and State security agents are abusing this chief as part of their propaganda war against the Prime Minister of Zimbabwe.
Having been booked at a five star hotel in Harare, Chief Negomo with the help of other Zanu PF activists sought to serve the summons himself on the Prime Minster. Perhaps the incompetent people behind this sting operation forgot to advise the chief that the judge does not serve summons himself but that summons are served by a messenger of court.
That the chief sought to act as his own messenger is clear manifestation of failure on his part to appreciate the difference between his role as a traditional leader from his role as a Zanu PF activist.
That the chief invited the press in his legally ill – advised venture clearly betrays the intentions behind this debacle. It also shows the extent to which Zanu PF has debased the institution of traditional leaders in this country.
Despite what Chief Negomo may have been made to think, what Zanu PF has coaxed him to do is a clear manifestation of the disrespect and disdain that they have on his person and his office.
The incompetent handlers have failed to advise the Chief as to the extent of his jurisdiction. They failed to advise him who his subjects are and who his superiors are in this country.
The MDC maintains that this whole debacle is a joint plot by Zanu PF and junta element who are getting more and more desperate in the face of Mugabe’s impending defeat in the elections next year. However no amount of propaganda can save Zanu PF from the jaws of defeat now that they have failed to gather enough courage to prevent Mugabe from standing again as a candidate.
While the MDC has tremendous respect for the institution of traditional leaders in this country, it has no respect for those traditional leaders who offer themselves as willing and overzealous stooges of political parties especially Zanu PF.
Through his wanton and I’ll advised behaviour, Chief Negomo has fallen foul of the provisions of the clear provisions of the Global Political Agreement which provide that the traditional leaders must be apolitical. Clearly Chief Negomo’s handlers would not advise him of this provision.
Chief Negomo must be aware of the murders and rapes and other barbaric acts committed by Zanu PF in 2008 in his jurisdiction. He is no doubt aware of acts of arson committed by Zanu PF activists against MDC people. Why has he not summoned any of them to his court if he is a man of justice? The only conclusion is that he approves of the murderous activities by the Zanu PF militia and junta.
It is very clear that a faction within Zanu PF is trying to create conditions for the total breakdown of the inclusive government, for it’s own reasons which are narrow and parochial. President Tsvangirai is well aware of these evil machinations but will remain focused on his mission to deliver real change for the people of Zimbabwe. MDC Publicity Department
