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Traditional leader breaches constitutional duty
Zimbabwe Human
Rights Association (ZimRights)
May 02, 2011
More that eighty
people converged at Gwavi, under Chief Nemagwe area, in Gokwe, Midlands
Province, where ZimRights conducted an anti-torture meeting.
Participants
iterated that people in Gokwe are living in constant fear as was
evidenced by the failure by other people to attend the meeting.
Village head Gwafa reportedly instructed people not to attend any
workshop conducted by civic society groups arguing that they were
trying to encourage villagers to join the MDC formations. It is
also said that, he told villagers that the two MDC formations in
the coalition government were not going to carry out any activities
in that are in terms of campaigning in the next elections and anyone
aligned to them will be expelled from the village.
One participant
cited that a people driven constitution is the only way to ensure
stability and good governance in Zimbabwe. He added that there are
individuals within government who yield excess powers hence have
remained "untouchable". Participants castigated some
traditional leaders who have served interests of political parties
at the expense of their communities. Some of the stated examples
include their current Chief Nemagwe and his headman. They also emphasised
that no one should be above the law regardless of position in government.
A councillor
who was present narrated an incident he witnessed where a villager
was tortured by police at nearby police base at CMBEE in 2008.
He said that the man was beaten up, forced to fetch water and till
the officers' garden. Participants stated that security sector
reform is one of the key issues that must be addressed to ensure
political stability in the country. They added that it is ironic
that the police have become the main perpetrators of human rights
abuses yet they are mandated to protect them.
Visit the Zimbabwe
Human Rights Association (ZimRights) fact
sheet
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