King 'Munhumutapa' convicted

A self-proclaimed traditional ruler from Harare, who called himself "King Munhumutapa" and claimed the power to appoint and dethrone chiefs across Zimbabwe, has been convicted of undermining the authority of the President.

The man, Timothy Chiminya, was found guilty by Harare provincial magistrate Tapiwa Kuhudzai and is set to be sentenced today.

Chiminya allegedly claimed that his supposed royal authority had been conferred upon him by a spirit medium, which he said empowered him to install or remove traditional leaders at will.

However, the court ruled that his actions were unlawful and violated both the Constitution of Zimbabwe and the Traditional Leaders Act, which grant the power to appoint and remove chiefs exclusively to the President of the Republic of Zimbabwe.

According to court evidence, in February last year, Chiminya visited Chief Seke's homestead in Dema, where he declared the sitting chief "dethroned" before installing Masimba Rubatika as the new Chief Seke.

Subsequent investigations revealed that between June 11 and October 31 of the same year, Chiminya unlawfully appointed three more chiefs in Chirumhanzu and Zaka districts - Julius Chimbi as Chief Chigwegwe, Hama Piki as another chief in Chirumhanzu, and Chief Nyakunhuwa in Zaka, Masvingo Province.

His activities came to the attention of the authorities after Chief Chimanike, the legitimate Chief Seke, reported the incident to the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works, prompting Chiminya's arrest.

During mitigation, Chiminya's lawyer, Gift Mutisi, pleaded for leniency, arguing that his client was a first-time offender who had fully complied with all bail conditions and had shown cooperation with law enforcement.

However, prosecutor Dzidzai Josiah opposed the plea, saying Chiminya's conduct displayed "high moral culpability" and that his claims of being the "King of Zimbabwe and Emperor of Africa" directly challenged the constitutional authority of the President.

She argued that a custodial sentence was necessary to deter others from making similar claims, insisting that a non-custodial sentence would "trivialise the seriousness of the offence."

The Ministry of Local Government formally lodged a complaint against Chiminya, asserting that his actions had caused confusion within the traditional leadership structures and threatened the integrity of the national governance system.

The magistrate is expected to deliver sentence today, in a case that has drawn widespread attention for its unusual mix of traditional beliefs, constitutional law, and political sensitivity.