Mnangagwa sucked into Makoni chieftainship wrangle

PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa has been sucked into the Makoni chieftainship wrangle after a clan member dragged him to the High Court, accusing him of neglecting his constitutional duties to resolve the issue.

In the application filed by Philip Muswere last week, Mnangagwa, Local Government minister July Moyo, the Provincial Assembly of Chiefs for Manicaland Province and chief Makoni Colgan Gwasira, are cited as respondents.

"Plaintiff (Muswere) is a member of the Muswere clan, a clan which was supposed to have provided a candidate for the appointment of the current chief Makoni. Following the death of Naboth Nyakurerwa Gandanzara, the Muswere clan was supposed to provide the next chief Makoni in terms of the customs and practices of the Makoni people," Muswere said.

However, according to Muswere, contrary to these customs and practices, Gwasira was appointed chief Makoni. "In terms of the customs and practices of the Makoni people, a substantive chief was supposed to be appointed by the family of Mukuwapasi in consultation with the spirit mediums.

The Mukuwapasi family was not involved in the appointment of fourth respondent (Gwasira). "The Mukuwapasi(s) in consultation with the spirit mediums nominated the Muswere clan as next in line of succession to provide a candidate for appointment to chieftainship," the court was told.

Muswere told the court that Gwasira's house was not eligible to provide a candidate for Makoni chieftainship and that his appointment was in contravention of a court order directing that the chief was to be appointed from the Muswere clan.

"Plaintiff requested the Provincial Assembly of Chiefs, Manicaland Province to resolve the dispute pertaining to the appointment of fourth respondent but third respondent neglected to solve the dispute. "Second respondent who is also responsible for traditional leaders also neglected to cause the provincial council of chiefs to solve the dispute when the issue was brought to his attention by plaintiff," Muswere said.

He said Mnangagwa also neglected his constitutional duty to solve disputes pertaining to the chief's appointment, when the matter was brought to his attention. "The failure by the first, second and third respondents to solve the chieftainship, was wrongful and unlawful. Plaintiff now seeks a declaratory order compelling the first, second and third defendants to solve the Makoni chieftainship dispute," Muswere said.

He is now seeking the issue to be resolved within 60 days from the date of the court order if the court rules in his favour, failure of which he said Gwasira's appointment must be nullified.