Zimbabwean chiefs demand guns ahead of polls

PHOTO | AFP | JEKESAI NJIKIZANA

Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe speaks during a rally marking his 88th birthday in Mutare on February 25, 2012.

HARARE, Thursday

Zimbabwean chiefs have demanded to be allocated guns ahead of elections President Robert Mugabe wants held this year.

The traditional leaders, who also declared that the 88-year-old leader must be left to rule until he dies, said they wanted the firearms to protect themselves, arguing that most of them were victims of political violence in past elections.

Previous elections have been marred by political violence blamed on President Mugabe’s Zanu PF party.

The worst violence was recorded in 2008 when the ageing leader lost the first round of the presidential election to former opposition leader and now Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai.

Tsvangirai was forced to drop from the run-off poll, accusing security forces of killing his supporters in massive political violence.

Mugabe’s Zanu PF

The majority of Zimbabwean chiefs support President Mugabe’s Zanu PF party, which in turn lavishes them with state-bankrolled monthly allowances and vehicles.  The latest demands tabled at an ongoing chiefs’ council annual meeting in the second city of Bulawayo also include diplomatic passports and exemption from paying toll gate fees on highways.

“In areas we operate from there are some criminals who endanger our lives, so the government must provide us with guns to protect ourselves,” said a chief representing traditional leaders from Manicaland Province.

He said some chiefs were assaulted and others had their homesteads burnt during election campaigns.

The chiefs also want new cars, farms and shares in foreign-owned mining companies.

“The issue of diplomatic passports for chiefs is long overdue. We need it to be finalised,” said chief Chiduku of Manicaland.