Villagers continue to face threats, political discrimination by traditional leaders – report

THE Zimbabwe Peace Project (ZPP) has raised concerns over alleged cases of traditional leaders intimidating villagers, demanding payments, interfering with access to government programmes, and engaging in partisan political mobilisation.

In its August monitoring report, the rights watchdog said some traditional leaders were departing from their constitutional obligations to protect the rights of communities under their jurisdiction.

Section 281 of the Constitution requires traditional leaders to act in accordance with the Constitution and laws and to treat people equally and fairly.

The section also prohibits traditional leaders from engaging in partisan political conduct and violating fundamental rights and freedoms.

The rights watchdog documented cases involving alleged threats, political discrimination, coercion, and disputes over communal land.

“In Kagonda, village head Pedzisai Nyamukapa threatened to exclude villagers without ZANU PF cards from government input and claimed authority to punish opposition supporters. The problem extends beyond politics.

“In Chiredzi, villagers accused traditional leaders of coercive attempts to transfer ancestral land to third parties, while a 2026 case in Bulilima saw a chief and village heads face allegations of unauthorised land allocations,” the report reads.

According to ZPP, such practices are particularly concerning in rural communities where traditional leaders exercise significant influence over land, dispute resolution, community resources, and social affairs.

The organisation said threats to exclude villagers from government programmes, demands for payments, intimidation over land and pressure to participate in activities against their will could undermine citizens’ freedom of choice, equality, dignity and access to public services.

“Traditional authority cannot become a licence for coercion, discrimination or arbitrary deprivation,” ZPP said.

The watchdog said traditional leaders should exercise their authority within constitutional limits and not allow customary institutions to be used to advance political or other interests.

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