CHIEFS Council President Fortune Charumbira is acting unconstitutionally, defying a court order by actively participating in partisan politics, the Electoral Resource Centre (ERC) has said.

In 2018, ERC filed a High Court application against Charumbira after he had ordered traditional leaders to canvass for Zanu Pf. An order was then issued barring the active participation of chiefs; one which he continues to defy.

In a statement, ERC on Wednesday said: "The attitude of political parties towards the implementation of the court order issued against Chief Charumbira who continues to defy justice.

"Four months before Zimbabwe conducts the 2023 Harmonised elections. We are concerned by the defiance of court order by traditional leaders who continue to ignore the laws of the land.

"On May 14, 2018, the High Court ordered that the utterances made by Chief Charumbira were unconstitutional and partisan and that the Chief was to retract the statement within 14 days," said ERC.

Recently, Zanu Pf's Second Secretary Kembo Mohadi said traditional leaders had agreed to canvass support for the ruling party in the upcoming harmonised elections.

ERC added: "Utterances made by Mohadi goes against the Constitution of Zimbabwe.

"His comments spearhead partisan manners and furthers the interests of Zanu PF ahead of the 2023 Harmonised elections.

"In 2018, ERC filed a High Court application against Chief Charumbira citing the comments he had made during a National Council of Chief's calling on all traditional chiefs to support Zanu PF.

"This application was premised on Section 281 (2) of the Constitution of Zimbabwe that stipulates that traditional leaders must not act in a partisan manner or further the interests of any political party."