Chief Ndiweni at it again

Kudakwashe Mugari and Sukoluhle Ndlovu
ATTENTION-SEEKING Chief Nhlanhlayamangwe Felix Ndiweni of Ntabazinduna hogged the limelight in Gweru yesterday for the wrong reasons after he publicly incited violence and implored people to reject the recently launched Political Actors Dialogue (POLAD).

This comes at a time when President Mnangagwa has been reaching out to various political parties to engage in dialogue to map the way forward for the country.

President Mnangagwa has been on record calling upon political parties to put the county’s interest ahead of their political parties’ interests. Recently Chief Ndiweni received backlash from members of the public after staging an attack which he claimed was done by peace loving Zanu-PF youths.

Delivering a speech at the MDC-Alliance National Congress Chief Ndiweni left many shocked after stating that Zimbabwe will never rise.

“Let me tell you that dialogue between political parties is not necessary because Zimbabwe will never rise. I encourage you to reject leaders when you feel what they are doing is wrong. We need a dialogue that is led by a third person who is independent. This dialogue we are seeing today is nonsense,” he said.

In return, MDC-Alliance leader Nelson Chamisa addressing the congress honoured Chief Ndiweni saying once in power, he will make him king.

“I would like to honour Chief Ndiweni for accepting our invite. Actually he is a king, not a chief, and once I get into power, I will install him as the king,” he said.

Ironically, on Friday President Mnangagwa at a pass out ceremony in Zimbabwe Military Academy, called upon all political parties to maintain peace and not incite violence. Last year in August, MDC-Alliance was fingered in post-elections violence that rocked the country resulting in six people dying.

Early this year, MDC Alliance with its shadowy affiliates masterminded a shutdown, which resulted in 78 police officers getting injured while one died. MDC youths also engaged in violence which includes barricading roads, burning cars, burning shops and looted goods worth millions of dollars.

The Government has also castigated Chief Felix Ndiweni for calling on Western countries to impose more sanctions against the country claiming the existing embargoes were “tiny”.

Secretary for Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Mr Nick Mangwana said Chief Ndiweni’s utterances were inhuman and against our cultural beliefs.

‘‘Chief Ndiweni’s sentiments are deplorable, parochial and ignorant coming from a traditional leader,’’ he said.

Mr Mangwana urged chiefs to conduct themselves in an exemplary manner since they are the custodians of our cultural norms and values.

‘‘Chiefs should be spearheading development in their communities and not embracing poverty and using it as a political tool against the people of Zimbabwe. We expected Chief Ndiweni to know this. Alas, he is back in familiar territory as it will also be recalled that his family has a history of collaborating with the enemy and waging this anti-people war from as far back as the liberation struggle.

In view of Chief Ndiweni’s remarks and others, especially in the opposition who have invited sanctions on Zimbabwe, Mr Mangwana said it was time Zimbabwe considered legislative solutions to deal with such acts of treachery.

‘‘May we remind Chief Ndiweni that Government and the people of Zimbabwe are watching and watching closely as he goes on with his politics that are clearly not guided by the national and community interest but inspired by some dubious narrow, parochial interests.”

Chief Ndiweni, who has openly declared support for the opposition MDC-Alliance, has on numerous occasions been caught out on some mischief since he returned home from the United Kingdom where he stayed for about 40 years.

In 2017, he allowed one political party to hold a rally in his area against police decision barring the party to proceed with the rally in Ntabazinduna because the police did not have enough manpower. Chief Ndiweni also had a stand-off with the then Umguza MP Obert Mpofu accusing him of meddling in his and other chiefs’ affairs.

Last year, he took the Chiefs Council President Chief Fortune Charumbira and the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission to court seeking nullification of provincial assembly and national chiefs’ council election results held in 2017, arguing that the whole process was marred with irregularities.

He was also fingered as the one behind the revival of the Ndebele Kingdom after he presided over the secret installation of King Bulelani Khumalo. Government has since declared the push for the Ndebele Kingdom illegal.