Chief bans MDC rally in Rukweza, Manicaland

By Tichaona Sibanda
24 October 2007

A chief with strong Zanu-PF links has banned the MDC from holding a rally at Rukweza business centre in Makoni East, Manicaland province on Friday.

The MDC has however said it would defy Chief John Rukweza’s ban and go ahead with its planned rally because he does not have the powers to ban or stop a political rally.

Pishai Muchauraya, the MDC spokesman for Manicaland province said the many MDC posters have reportedly annoyed Chief Rukweza and fliers posted in his area and has vowed to stop all campaign activities by the opposition party.

Chief Rukweza ordered Loveness Makaure, the local MDC chairperson for Makoni East to appear before his court, but Makaure has defied the chief’s order and has instead gone underground to continue campaigning.

‘The chief attempted to read the riot act to Makaure but she refused to attend his kangaroo court. He has sent his messengers to tell the MDC that all campaign activities have been banned starting with Friday’s rally,’ Muchauraya said.

This is not the first time that a chief has tried to ban a rally in Manicaland. On several past occasions, the MDC’s secretary for Legal and Parliamentary affairs, Innocent Gonese has had to issue statements to his party structures to ignore such orders from traditional chiefs.

‘This is why we say Mugabe rigs the elections, because he uses chiefs to force their subjects to vote Zanu-PF. All chiefs in Zimbabwe are now paid handsomely and move around with top of the range 4x4’s. It’s all part of the game by Zanu-PF,’ Muchauraya said.