Chief Mupakwa
…wishes if 2018 was not election year
TellZim Reporter
27 Jan 2017-The violence, torture and intimidation which is usually witnessed towards elections in Zimbabwe has not only affected ordinary villagers as headman Mpakwa has revealed that traditional leaders are among the most harassed group as politicians try to push their way into power.
Speaking to this publication last week, headman Mpakwa had no kind words for politicians who are known for harassing traditional leaders.
Mpakwa said he was one of the most vulnerable headman in both the 2013 harmonized elections and the just ended by-election for Bikita West constituency.
The headman said he feared that 2018 might bring worse harassment from mainly Zanu PF politicians.
“I am a victim of political mind games since 2013. I wish if 2018 was not an election year because I am worried that worse things will befall us as traditional leaders. We are often accused of things that we don’t know. We receive threats from politicians who want to win elections at all cost.
“For your own information, I am purely Zanu PF and I vote for Zanu PF but I can not force people to vote for a certain individual or a political party … but its easy for politicians to accuse us saying we are not as aggressive as they expect,” said Mpakwa.
Mpakwa said in 2013, he was accused of raping a certain woman and the charge was later dropped. After some suspicion that Mpakwa might have soft spot for ZimPF in the just ended by-election for Bikita West, the headman said he went through some horror experiences although he was reluctant to go into details.
He however, revealed that Zanu PF factional fights were the major causes of problems.
“You know, there are some factions and overzealous politicians who wish to be called good boys are the ones giving us a headache here regardless of the fact that they just joined politics recently. I am now 69 years old and I had enough of this kind of torture and I wish we were living without going to an election,” Mpakwa said bitterly.
Two weeks ago, Mpakwa was accused of accommodating losing candidate for Bikita West Kudakwashe Gopo at his mother’s funeral.
Soon after his mother’s funeral, Mpakwa together with four Bikita Chiefs were immediately called for secret meeting at Chaka Lodge where Zanu PF national political commissar Saviour Kasukuwere addressed them.
Mpakwa refused to what transpired in the secret meeting.news
