Traditional leaders want Mugabe for life

GOROMONZI – Zimbabwe’s Chiefs Council, grouping the country’s traditional leaders, on Friday urged an ongoing conference of the ruling Zanu PF party to extend President Robert Mugabe’s term for life.

Council president Chief Fortune Charumbira, in an address to the party conference outside Harare, said Mugabe should be succeeded only at his death just the same way traditional chiefs are replaced. Charumbira, who claimed to be speaking on behalf of ordinary Zimbabweans at the grassroots who are represented by chiefs, said: “We are not for succession as long as one who holds that position is still alive.”His call however received a lukewarm response from delegates who did not appear too keen on the succession issue following Mugabe’s angry tirade on the eve of the conference against unnamed party officials he accused of canvassing even when there were no vacancies.Charumbira, who is also a Member of Parliament, is the second legislator to declare Mugabe should be President for life after party secretary for administration Didymus Mutasa made the same call in an interview with ZimOnline last week.The conference is expected to endorse amending Zimbabwe’s Constitution to postpone a presidential election due in 2008, when Mugabe’s term expires, to 2010 to allow the 82-year old leader an additional two years in office.ZimOnlineCharumbira, who claimed to be speaking on behalf of ordinary Zimbabweans at the grassroots who are represented by chiefs, said: “We are not for succession as long as one who holds that position is still alive.”His call however received a lukewarm response from delegates who did not appear too keen on the succession issue following Mugabe’s angry tirade on the eve of the conference against unnamed party officials he accused of canvassing even when there were no vacancies.Charumbira, who is also a Member of Parliament, is the second legislator to declare Mugabe should be President for life after party secretary for administration Didymus Mutasa made the same call in an interview with ZimOnline last week.The conference is expected to endorse amending Zimbabwe’s Constitution to postpone a presidential election due in 2008, when Mugabe’s term expires, to 2010 to allow the 82-year old leader an additional two years in office.ZimOnline