By Jane Mlambo| The Election Resource Centre has renewed its push to have Chiefs Council President Fortune Charumbira respect a High Court ruling ordering him to retract his remarks
In a statement, ERC lauded Charumbira for the remarks he made at a funeral in Masvingo province over the weekend where he denounced political violence during elections.
“The Election Resource Centre welcomes the pronouncements made by Chief’s Council President Chief Fortune Charumbira denouncing politically motivated violence during elections, an end to politicisation of food aid as well as the call for citizens to be united,” said ERC.
The elections lobby group further called on Charumbira to be exemplary as the Pan African Parliament leader to comply with a 2018 court order to retract his partisan statement in favour of the ruling Zanu PF.
Addressing mourners at a funeral in Nemamwa area, Masvingo, Charumbira said politics should not divide people adding that citizens are free to vote whoever they want without threat of violence.
“Each person must be allowed to exercise his or her democratic right to campaign or vote for a political party of choice.We are relatives in this community therefore those who come to campaign must not leave us divided or in hatred .” said Chief Charumbira to loud cheer from mourners.
“We know political parties during elections time they come with vote buying and empty promises .That should not divide us.Each person should vote as per his or her choice,” he added.
He also discouraged politicisation of food aid said it should be distributed as per set rules not political affiliation.
“Ini saMambo wenyu handide kuti chikafu chinopihwa vanhu ndigonzwa kuti panyimwa munhu nokuda kwekuti ndewe party ipi ! Kana chanzi its for 80 year olds munhu wese ngaapihwe anotadza kupihwa must be 79year and below kwete zvekuti ndewe MDC kana ZanuPF” further remarked Charumbira.
Chiefs in Zimbabwe have for years been an organ used by the ruling Zanu PF to fan division and violence mostly in rural areas and Charumbira’s climbdown could be welcome news to rural populace who are living in fear of supporting any other parties besides the ruling party.