By Thomas Madhuku
As people in and out of Zimbabwe try to come to terms with the widely unexpected results of the July 31 2013 harmonized elections, more evidence has emerged that traditional leaders played a key role in ensuring a Zanu PF victory.
This is particularly true in the case of Chipinge in the eastern Zimbabwe where traditional leaders including chiefs and headmen intimidated voters, shepherding their subjects to polling stations and in some cases played the role of Zanu PF polling agents.
Contrary to the Traditional Leaders Act, which forbids them from partisan politics, some traditional leaders in Chipinge South are alleged to have engaged in partisan political activities that were well orchestrated to ensure Zanu PF victory in the just ended harmonized elections.
At a polling station in Chinyamukwakwa ward 28 of Chipinge South, Headman Chinyamukwakwa was seen at the polling station where he is said to have stayed until voting had closed at 7pm.
Asked for a comment, Chinyamukwakwa could not refute the claims saying he only stayed at the school, the same place where voting was taking place. Traditional leaders were also actively involved in the voting processes at Chisumbanje, Mashubi and Matikwa primary schools.
Villagers who spoke on condition of anonymity said the use of traditional leaders had worked to Zanu PF’s advantage as it influenced people’s voting choices.
“Most of us would not dare resist orders from our village leaders because we stand to lose a lot and also we might be victimized,” the anonymous villager said.
At Chitepo primary school polling station in ward 28, voting reportedly came to a halt when other political parties demanded that James Mbendana and Mike Jambaya both traditional leaders, be dealt with as they were caught busy organizing villagers inside the polling station.
According to an eyewitness, James Mbendana collected identity documents from his subjects who would get them at the polling station as part of the strategy to influence the vote.
At Chisuma primary school polling station ward 29, Joseph Dhliwayo who lost during the ZANU PF primary election acted as the Presiding Officer. This was clearly problematic since he went on to be part of the plot to assist voters who claimed ignorance.
At Mutandahwe polling station, ward 28, Vengayi Mashava divided his village into groups of ten and then ensured that they used that pattern to vote. This pattern of voting convinced the subjects that their vote would be detected and had to vote for Zanu PF.
At Matikwa primary school, police had to be called in to intervene when voting delayed after traditional leaders tried to force villagers to vote in blocks. Voting only started when the observers from SADC were involved.
Chipinge South losing candidate for the MDC-T Meki Makuyana confirmed that voting in his constituency was marred by massive irregularities.
“I can confirm that voting was not as free and fair as many would have expected, Zanu PF used a lot of tricks mostly the abuse and manipulation of traditional leaders who intimidated villagers to vote for Zanu PF,” Makuyana said.
Enock Porusingazi, Zanu PF parliamentary winning candidate for Chipinge South rubbished the claims saying each of the three party candidates that is councilor, Member of Parliament and president had his or her own polling agents.
“So you may have noticed that in some polling stations Zanu PF had six polling agents. I never had headman Chinyamukwakwa as one of my agents, in fact I had Tsitsi Muyambo and Monica Hliziyo as my agents at Chinyamukwakwa polling station,” Porusingazi said.
Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) Deputy Chairperson Joyce Kazembe warned traditional leaders against dabbling in partisan politics reminding them that their duty was to promote peaceful co-existence among their subjects.
“I want to draw your attention to the new provisions of the constitution because some of the people will seek to if you are not careful, demonize your institution on the basis that your conduct was not consistent with these constitutional provisions,” Kazembe said.