Election of chiefs will to come before harmonised elections
Nqobile Ngwenya
President Mnangagwa has proclaimed through Statutory Instrument 85 of 2023, that the election of Chiefs into the Chief’s Council shall come first on 3 August, 2023 ahead of the harmonised general elections that are set for 23 August, 2023.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa announced that the Chiefs shall hold provincial elections on 3 August, 2023. There are eight rural provinces manned by chiefs excluding Bulawayo and Harare Metropolitan and each of the provinces is set to elect four Chiefs who will form the Council of Chiefs.
” For the purpose of section 120(1)(b) and (c) of the Constitution, as read with section 38(3) of the Electoral Act [Chapter 2:13] and section 35 of the Traditional Leaders Act [Chapter 29:17]—(i) determine that the Provincial Assemblies of Chiefs shall meet on the 3rd day of August, 2023, at 10 o’clock in the morning for the purpose of electing five Chiefs for Manicaland Province.”
Each one of the other Provinces to elect four chiefs. The elected Chiefs from the Provinces shall constitute the Council of Chiefs in Zimbabwe who will be representing all the rural communities by projecting their socio- economic needs.
The electoral college that consists of Provincial chiefs is mandated by S.I.85(iii) and the privision of S120 of the Constitution to elect sixteen chiefs who will become senators with each Province contributing two chiefs. The Provincial elections shall take place mostly at provincial capitals on 24 August, 2023 at 10am, a day after the harmonised elections.
The Constitution of Zimbabwe(Section 280) spells out the functions of traditional leaders in communities. The chiefs help to promote and uphold cultural values, facilitate development and resolving of disputes in their communities. The institution of traditional leadership is regulated and monitored within the parameters of the Constitution of Zimbabwe.
Chiefs are supposed to be apolitical have sometimes have been sucked into partisan ruling party politics especially during election seasons.
