By Political Reporter-In a brazen display of power and patronage, President Emmerson Mnangagwa on Wednesday handed over nearly 90 luxury ISUZU Double Cab vehicles to traditional leaders, a move widely seen as a reward for their role in helping Zanu PF manipulate rural voters during elections.
The handover ceremony, a continuation of Zanu PF’s longstanding strategy of using traditional chiefs as political enforcers, comes at a time when the ruling party faces growing discontent in urban areas and is increasingly reliant on rural votes to maintain its grip on power.
Chiefs, long revered as custodians of culture and authority in Zimbabwe’s rural communities, have been co-opted by Zanu PF, tasked with coercing villagers into voting for the ruling party through intimidation, threats of land seizure, and social exclusion.
Zanu PF’s relationship with traditional leaders is not new. During the liberation war in the 1970s, the party sought the allegiance of chiefs, viewing them as vital in controlling rural populations where the majority of Zimbabweans resided.
Although initially resistant, many chiefs were eventually won over or coerced, and after independence in 1980, Zanu PF institutionalized this relationship.
Under President Robert Mugabe, chiefs were granted privileges, including vehicles, monthly allowances, and land rights.
In exchange, they were expected to deliver votes in rural constituencies, where Zanu PF has historically enjoyed overwhelming support.
Traditional leaders were empowered to influence political and social life in villages, often threatening to withhold government assistance or development projects from those perceived to support opposition parties.
As opposition movements, like the MDC and more recently the CCC, gained traction in urban centers, Zanu PF’s reliance on rural strongholds deepened.
Chiefs became critical to ensuring victory in tightly contested elections.
Traditional leaders were routinely gifted luxury items or financial incentives in the run-up to major elections, reinforcing their loyalty to the ruling party.
Mnangagwa, who came to power in 2017 following a military coup, has continued this legacy of patronage politics.
Like Mugabe before him, he understands the importance of securing the rural vote, particularly as his administration faces accusations of corruption, economic mismanagement, and human rights abuses.
By showering chiefs with luxury cars, Mnangagwa is reinforcing their role as key political brokers in rural areas, ensuring that they continue to intimidate and coerce voters in favour of Zanu PF.
This strategy has proven effective in past elections, where reports of chiefs threatening to evict villagers or cut off access to food aid if they voted for opposition candidates were widespread.
Mnangagwa’s gift of vehicles to chiefs just a year after a contested election is a stark reminder of the lengths Zanu PF is willing to go to maintain power.
As the 2028 election cycle looms, the ruling party’s manipulation of traditional authority is expected to intensify, further eroding the democratic process in Zimbabwe.
This practice not only compromises the integrity of elections but also undermines the traditional role of chiefs as impartial leaders who should represent the interests of all villagers, regardless of political affiliation.
Such tactics have led to widespread criticism, with opposition parties and civil society groups accusing Mnangagwa of weaponizing traditional institutions to entrench his rule.
As Zimbabwe grapples with an economic crisis, political repression, and international isolation, the pampering of traditional leaders with top-range vehicles sends a clear message: Zanu PF will do whatever it takes to cling to power, no matter the cost to democracy or the nation’s development.