By Patrick Zhuwao
Emmerson Mnangagwa’s persecution of Chief Ndiweni inadvertently turned the MDC demonstration scheduled for Bulawayo on Monday 19th August 2019 into an effective shut down of the City of Kings.
Mnangagwa’s Kwekwe based cabal is persecuting the Matabeleland region’s entire leadership across the political divide.
Despite assurances in July 2019 by Vice President Mohadi that magistrates would stop summoning chiefs (who are an extension of the judiciary), Chief Nhlanhlayamangwe Felix Ndiweni was jailed for an effective 18 months on Friday 16th August 2019.
On that same day, there was an attempted arrest of former Vice President Mphoko followed, on Saturday 17th August 2019, by the arrest of MDC’s National Chair, Honourable Thabitha Khumalo, together with other Bulawayo leaders.
This persecution of the Matabeleland Region’s leaders is done with the explicit knowledge of at least Mnangagwa, July Moyo and Owen Ncube. The Police Commissioner General advises the minister for local government on the impeding arrest of a traditional leader.
The local government minister, in consultation with the security minister, would then seek the authority of the president for that traditional leader to be arrested. Mnangagwa authorised the arrest of Chief Ndiweni. This does not bode well for a region still traumatised by Gukurahundi.
Deteriorating socio-economic conditions and lessons from peaceful demonstrations in Sudan and Hong Kong requires committed leadership that can visibly lead such peaceful demonstrations.
Having personally interacted with Chief Ndiweni, I know that he is such a leader and rallying point for Zimbabweans across the political divide.
In 2014, Mnangagwa de-briefed Kasukuwere, Kembo Mohadi and myself that President Mugabe indicated that he consults Zimbabwe’s twelve leading traditional leaders on leadership.
Chief Ndiweni is one of the twelve. Mnangagwa is persecuting Chief Ndiweni because Chief Ndiweni does not approve of Mnangagwa’s disastrous leadership.
Asante Sana. Iwe Neni Tine Basa. Umsebenzi lo Umkhulu.
