Zimbabwe: Another Opposition Activist Dragged to Traditional Court Over Election Campaigns

11 September 2023
New Zimbabwe (London)

Another Citizen Coalition for Change (CCC) activist in Chimanimani district in Manicaland province has been summoned to Chief Timothy Muusha's traditional court to answer charges of campaigning for the opposition.

Isaiah Mapunga of Nyamusundu village appeared before Chief Muusha on Saturday but the trial failed to kick off because the complainant, Zanu PF's councillor elect, Lovemore Utseya failed to attend the court session.

"On 9 September 2023, I appeared before Chief Muusha 's traditional court answering to allegations of inviting CCC aspiring parliamentary candidate Cananan Matiashe and aspiring councillor Boston Chinamira in Nyamusundu area. The two CCC politicians are being accused of conducting door-to-door campaigns in the area on 9 August 2023. So they are saying that I committed a crime by inviting the two," said Mapunga in an interview with New Zimbabwe.Com.

Mapunga said the case failed to kick off on Saturday because Utseya was a no show.

"Utseya who was Zanu PF council candidate reported me to the Chief. This guy has been frustrating CCC campaigns in the area by threatening our supporters. There is no law in this country that prevents political parties from conducting their campaigns in a peaceful and lawful manner," said Mapunga.

The CCC activist has been ordered to come back to the court on 23 September 2023 at 10 am.

Utseya is expected to lead evidence during the "trial".

When reached for comment Utseya denied reporting the CCC activist to the Chief but said he only advised him to seek permission from the headman when holding political meetings in the area.

"I advised him (Mapunga) to get permission from the headman in the future. He was not supposed to bring people into the area without the approval of the headman," said Utseya.

Brothers, Knowledge and Solomon Tambwera were also recently dragged before Chief Muusha's traditional court on charges of defying headman Charles Manzou's directive to vote for the ruling party's candidates in the August 23 to 24 harmonised elections.

The trio who were fined three goats by the Chief for the "offence" have since enlisted the services of lawyers from the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR).

In June, the chief reportedly threatened villagers with unspecified action if they voted for CCC during a meeting held at Muusha Primary School.

Read the original article on New Zimbabwe.

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