By Jeffrey Muvundusi
BULAWAYO – Three chiefs here have been granted a peace order against Home Affairs minister Obert Mpofu and nine others they accuse of unleashing a reign of terror against them.
The trio — Felix Nhlanhla Ndiweni, Neville Ndondo and Deli Asher Mabhena — allege the minister was throwing spanners into their work and social life.
Some of the respondents cited as respondents by the traditional leaders include Zanu PF provincial chair who is also the Umguza aspiring MP Richard Moyo, David Moyo, Moses Siphuma, Jonathan Sibanda, Remigious Kombani, and Beverly Sibanda, among others.
Yesterday, magistrate Adelaide Mbeure ruled in favour of the chiefs, immediately stopping Mpofu from interfering with their works.
“I hereby order that the respondents should cease to threaten the applicants in any way and not communicate in any way that is threatening abusive and vulgar. Respondents should hold their peace towards the applicants,” Mbeure ruled.
In their court application, the chiefs — represented by lawyer Dumisani Dube of Mathonsi Ncube Law Chambers — accused Mpofu of targeting them.
“The first respondent ‘Mpofu’ who is local member of Parliament and minister of Home affairs has abused his office and authority by constantly throwing spanners into the chiefs’ work using his agents and thugs who include the second to the tenth respondents,” Ndiweni said.
“He has verbally attacked the applicants in various political and social fora at York House in Bulawayo and in Umguza District. Sometime back he sent bandits of thugs and hoodlums to harass and torment the applicants and villagers who refuse to dabble in his succession politics,” he said.
Ndiweni further noted that through his direct control of 17 out of the 19 wards in Umguza District, Mpofu intimidated and harassed the applicants through “derogatory insults, threat of violence, abduction and extermination as he is a feared and very powerful politician”.
He also indicated that attempts to report the minister to police had yielded nothing “as police officers are afraid of the politics”.
Ndiweni concluded: “I accordingly, implore this court to order the respondents to stop threats against our lives or being abusive to us. Respondents must also stop using vulgar language towards us or inciting threats death or harm to us.” Daily News.
