A Chimanimani Chief Timothy Munorowazve Muusha has reversed his controversial verdict to fine two Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) activists three goats for defying a local headman‘s directive to vote for the ruling party Zanu PF during the August 23 harmonised elections.
During a traditional court session held Saturday, the Chief also dropped “charges” against another CCC activist Isaah Mapunga who was being accused of campaigning for the opposition party during the period leading to the elections.
In an interview, Solomon Tambwera who was fined three goats alongside his bother for allegedly defying headman Charles Manzou’s directive that all villagers in Manzou area should vote for the ruling party Zanu PF during the elections said the development is not worth celebrating because they had not committed any offence in the first place.
“We were not shocked or surprised when the Chief on Saturday announced that we had no case to answer. In the first place, the Chief was not supposed to have summoned us to his court, for exercising our Constitutional rights. We knew we were being victimized for supporting CCC. Instead of demoralizing us, this incident actually bolstered us,” said Tambwera.
The CCC activist said the Chief did not give any reasons why he was withdrawing the charges but he instructed his secretaries not to entertain any political-related cases in the future.
“The Chief did not explain why he reversed his earlier decision but grudgingly simply said the case is closed. He said in future we should not provoke each other,” he said.
Tarumbwa thanked lawyers from Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) for highlighting their plight as well as representing them.
“A lot of citizens’ rights are being trampled upon every day in rural areas. Had it not been the coverage and intervention of ZLHR we could have unnecessarily lost our livestock.