High Court makes yet another ruling barring traditional leaders from active politics

📅 Published: August 21, 2025

Curated by AllZimNews.com

The Chiefs Council head, Fortune Charumbira, was in 2028 hauled before the High Court by an opposition leader, the late Elton Mangoma, for publicly pledging his support for Zanu PF ahead of that year’s general elections.

The High Court ruled in favour of Mangoma and his party, the Renewal Democrats Zimbabwe, effectively barring traditional leaders from actively participating politics.

The court heard that Chief Seke had chanted “2030 VaMnangagwa vanenge vachitonga.

Pamberi neZANU PF!

Pasi nemhandu! ”, which translates to “ President Mnangagwa will still be ruling in 2030.

Forward with ZANU PF!

The enemy must collapse! ”, at a meeting held in rural Seke in Mashonaland East province.

The pro-democracy campaigner argued that Chief Seke violated section 281 of the constitution and section 45 of the Traditional Leaders Act, when he publicly chanted the slogans.

She contended that her political rights and her right to impartial and apolitical conduct by traditional leaders were infringed by Chimanikire’s public pledge of his alliance to President Mnangagwa and Zanu PF, while condemning members and supporters of different political persuasions.

She appealed to the High Court to order Chimanikire to retract in writing his partisan utterances and issue a countermanding statement in a newspaper with national circulation and endeavour to make the statement available to private and public media houses within seven days of being served with the court order.

She also asked the High Court to direct the National Council of Chiefs to commence disciplinary proceedings against Chief Seke.

Zimudzi prayed that Garwe be ordered to circulate the High Court order widely through the auspices of the National Council of Chiefs and the Provincial Assemblies of Chiefs.

On 4 August 2025, Justice Deme ruled that Chimanikire violated section 281 (2) (c) of the constitution when he the partisan remarks during an address to a gathering in his area.

The Judge stated that Chimanikire’s conduct in uttering the partisan remarks is contrary to the conduct expected of traditional leaders and emphasised that whether during an election or not, traditional leaders are not supposed to further the interests of any political party.

Justice Deme ordered Chimanikire to retract the slogans in writing by issuing a countermanding statement in a newspaper with national circulation and make effort to share it with the private and public media as requested by Zimudzi.