Zanu (PF) bribes chiefs – MDC

said the party’s information department.
“The MDC is aware that the vehicles are meant to be the traditional leaders’ boarding passes on the Zanu (PF) gravy train. The regime is facing rejection by the people in next year’s election. It is no coincidence that the vehicles are being handed over now. The regime has simply gone back to its rigging manual by handing largesse to unassuming chiefs and traditional leaders to coerce them to do Zanu (PF)’s bidding in the run-up to the watershed plebiscite,” says MDC.
The hand-out of luxury vehicles comes just weeks after the regime used billions of taxpayers’ money to buy scotch-carts and ox-drawn ploughs to be given to headmen and chiefs ahead of the elections.
“The MDC condemns the continued abuse of traditional leaders by a regime that has lost all moral and political legitimacy to govern. Traditional leaders are the custodians of our moral and cultural values. They are our respected elders chosen not because of their political affiliation, but because of their role in cementing relations and solving civic disputes in our communities. The Zanu (PF) regime has torn this moral code of conduct of our traditional leaders by coercing them to join its discredited agenda. The MDC is aware that most of our chiefs are a noble people. They are against their continued abuse but are aware of the legendary Zanu (PF) vengeance against those who speak or act against it.
“In the new Zimbabwe, we should look back with disgust and say never again should a government commit the cardinal sin of coercing respected traditional leaders to dabble in politics. In the new Zimbabwe, no government should abuse civic institutions and our respected elders for selfish political ends that are inimical to their traditional roles. An MDC government shall restore the dignity of the chief s as the custodians of our moral and cultural values and not as an appendage of the ruling elite,” says the opposition. – Staff reporter