Zimbabwe’s main opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) on Tuesday accused President Robert Mugabe’s government of bribing traditional chiefs by giving them brand-new vehicles ahead of elections due next year.
Thirty-eight chiefs were given the open-backed vans on Monday at a ceremony in the capital.
The hand-outs are part of a programme to equip the country’s 266 chiefs with vehicles before year-end, the official Herald newspaper reported. The programme began four years ago, the paper said.
But the MDC described the gesture as bribery meant to coerce the traditional leaders into doing the ruling Zanu-PF’s bidding ahead of joint presidential and parliamentary elections due in March.
It is by no coincidence that the vehicles are being handed over now, the Morgan Tsvangirai-led MDC said in a statement. Chiefs hold massive sway over the rural electorate, and are seen as key ruling-party allies in its political strongholds in the countryside.
Earlier this year the chiefs reportedly endorsed Mugabe, who will be seeking his fourth term in office at the age of 84, as their candidate of choice in the 2008 polls.
But the MDC on Tuesday accused Mugabe’s party of abusing a respected institution. ”No government should abuse civic institutions and our respected elders for selfish political ends that are inimical to their traditional roles,” it said.
According to the report in the Herald, some of the chiefs were delighted with their new vehicles.
”My people are footsore. There are no buses in my area. This vehicle would be the ambulance and public transporter,” Chief Sogwala from central Zimbabwe was quoted as saying. — Sapa-dpa