Addressing a constitutional advocacy meeting in Masvingo last week Mnangagwa said traditional chiefs should continue to engage in political activity by supporting President Robert Mugabe and his ruling party despite a constitutional obligation for chiefs to stay away from politics.
Chapter 15 subsection 281(2( a) of the constitution says traditional leaders must not be members of any political party or in any way participate in partisan politics.
“We just inserted this clause for convenience’s sake but in actual fact a real traditional leader should not forget that there is Zanu (PF) and President Robert Mugabe in the country who should be supported .. . because he has done a lot for them ,”said Mnangagwa.
He said Zanu (PF) managed to win the Tsholotsho seat because of the support of traditional leaders.”I just went there with my colleague vice president Mpelekhezela Mphoko and we just urged the chiefs to support us and they did just that,” said Mnangagwa. “Even after we had left Tsholotsho we heard that traditional leaders continued to support us hence were are saying chiefs should continue to support us,” he added.
Turning to the land “reform” programme Mnangagwa openly admitted that the process was chaotic and people had to engage in violence to displace former white farmers.
“Yes the process was chaotic and people had to be riotous but it was necessary in order to reclaim our land. The programme was necessary and we do not have to apologise because there are no textbooks to read about how to reclaim your land,” he said. “I have read widely and even professors here will tell you that there are no text books to read in order to reclaim your land.”
Meanwhile the permanent secretary in the Ministry of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Ms Virgina Mabhiza has said the realigning of about 390 laws to conform with the new constitution was in progress.
She said ministry officials were touring different parts of the country to explain to the people some of the contents of the constitution.
Post published in: News