Chief Ndiweni revels in anti-Mpofu ruling

By Jeffrey Muvundusi

BULAWAYO – Ntabazinduna chief Felix Nhlanhla Ndiweni has praised the country’s judiciary after a magistrates’ court here ruled in his favour against Home Affairs minister Obert Mpofu.

This was after Ndiweni, who for years has been at loggerheads with Mpofu, was granted a peace order against the minister last week.

Ndiweni teamed up with two other chiefs Neville Ndondo and chief Deli Asher Mabhena to apply for a peace order against Mpofu and nine of his accomplices they accused of unleashing a reign of terror against 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 chief’s work using his agents and thugs who include the second to the tenth respondents,” Ndiweni said in his court application.

Magistrate Adelaide Mbeure interdicted Mpofu from interfering with the traditional leaders’ works.

However, a visibly delighted Ndiweni described the ruling as profound for the people in his area.

“It is a profound ruling, in the sense that it is has been done against a sitting minister of Home Affairs, who is in charge of the law enforcement in the country,” Ndiweni told Southern News.

“I think a precedent has been set, because we have high-ranking government officials like Mpofu who misuse their power to achieve personal gains. All we are saying is we have rights as traditional leaders. We cannot allow those above us trampling on us as they will,” he said.

Ndiweni added: “As I am speaking, the people of Ntabazinduna are celebrating after news filtered through that the one who was tormenting us has been ordered to stay away from us.

“We want a peaceful life not the hell we were being subjected to. This is a new dispensation and things have to change.”

Ndiweni said following the ruling, he has taken it upon himself to encourage fellow chiefs who are being persecuted to take a similar stance.

Ndiweni, formerly based in the United Kingdom for about 40 years, returned home a few years ago to take over the chieftainship following the death of his much-feared and respected father, Chief Khaisa Ndiweni.

So bad has been the tiff between the two such that the traditional leader wrote a stinging letter to former President Robert Mugabe in which he highlighted what he described as persecution from Mpofu.

Mpofu has refused to recognise Ndiweni ever since he took over the chieftainship, arguing it was the latter’s brother who is based in the UK, Thambo, who is the heir-apparent.

The burly minister early this year told Southern News that he viewed Ndiweni as a political opponent than a traditional leader.

“I don’t know him, we have never sat down and discussed. I think he is more political than traditional. He is a political animal as opposed to a traditional person. There should not be any reason why he should just issue statements attacking a senior member of the party.

“We know he has been hosting Mujuru, G40 and all the opposition parties. He is a political and traditional tyrant. He is not a chief. He has not been anointed. I got messages from the real chief, his brother Thambo who is in the UK. He is already talking to the Chief’s Council to say he should not be entertained,” Mpofu explained.

He, however, noted that he had nothing personal with Ndiweni. “I have nothing against him but he is an individual who has got his own agenda, a political agenda. If it was a traditional agenda, I would talk to him. I talk to Ndiweni’s son, Douglas, and the heir-apparent, Thambo.” Daily News