New Constitution leaves traditional leaders cold

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Traditional leaders, who feel elements of Zimbabwe’s new draft constitution will weaken their influence, have asked to meet with President Robert Mugabe.

 

Douglas Mwonzora: “No chance the draft will be changed.”
Douglas Mwonzora: “No chance the draft will be changed.”

The traditional leaders told the state media over the weekend that the constitution excludes them from the administration of most land, except communal land, a move they argued had left them with no powers.

Douglas Mwonzora, the Constitution Parliamentary Committee (COPAC) co-chairman representing the MDC-T, said there was no chance the draft will be changed.

“We have taken note of (the traditional leaders’) concerns but unfortunately, as responsible citizens, we couldn’t take farming land, commercial farms for that instance and put them under chiefs. The chiefs want to move away from capitalism to feudalism and that’s not right at all,” Mwonzora said.