Mnangagwa criticised for dishing out 100 Isuzu 4×4 vehicles to chiefs

HARARE – President Emmerson Mnangagwa has been criticised for prioritising pampering chiefs with new top of the range vehicles when the country is grappling with food insecurity and hospitals are without medicines.

The President on Thursday replaced the condition of service vehicles for chiefs, distributing 100 double cab Isuzu vehicles. He said the move was part of the government’s ongoing programme to ensure traditional leaders are mobile and to restore their dignity.

“Given the role of our traditional leaders as custodians of our culture, traditions, history and heritage, among other responsibilities, it is necessary that their dignity and conditions be of acceptable standards,” he said.

“Besides being traditional leaders, chiefs are also public servants who are mandated by the Constitution of Zimbabwe to preside over their people, promote sound family values, resolve disputes and more importantly, champion the promotion and preservation of our culture and heritage.”

But pro-democracy activist Pride Mkono, in an interview with Nehanda Radio, blasted Mnangagwa, accusing him of giving chiefs with cars as a reward for rigging the 2023 harmonised general elections by intimidating villagers.

“What we are witnessing is obscene spending by the State President, literally an electoral victory “thank you” to the chiefs.

“We all know that during the 2023 elections these chiefs were used to intimidate and coerce villages in rural areas to vote for Zanu-PF and President Mnangagwa specifically.

“They did so working with a shadowy organisation called FAZ (Forever Association of Zimbabwe), which basically coerced rural people to vote for Mnangagwa. These cars are a reward from Mnangagwa to the chiefs,” Mkono said.

He questioned the logic behind buying luxurious cars when the country is facing a severe El-Nino induced drought.

“It is saddening that this comes at a time when the country is grappling with so many challenges, particularly in the wake of the El-Nino induced drought. We have shortages of maize and medicines in hospitals, yet the country continues to fork out millions of dollars for buying cars.

“It is okay for chiefs to receive materials that enhance their work, but it must not be done at the expense of the public services to the very same subjects that they hope to preside over.

“What use would it be for chiefs to be driving million dollar vehicles when their subjects are starving to death. It is obscene and unacceptable,” he added.

Posting on his X handle, former student leader Allan Chipoyi said, “….. a fleet of D-Max Isuzus, which Mnangagwa is going to dish out to Chiefs who assisted him in rigging elections in rural areas. When it comes to service delivery, they blame sanctions but not on spending millions on cars.”

Chiefs in Zimbabwe are known for being partisan by supporting Zanu-PF. Last year, the vice president of the National Chiefs Council Chief Fortune Charumbira said ‘there is an inseparable relationship between the traditional leaders’ institution and Zanu-PF’.

The Constitution of Zimbabwe stipulates in Chapter 15 section 281 (2) that: “Traditional leaders must not–(a) be members of any political party or in any way participate in partisan politics; (b) act in a partisan manner; (c) further the interests of any political party or cause; or (d) violate the fundamental rights and freedoms of any person.”