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Harare – Zimbabwean chiefs have reportedly thrown their weight behind the ruling Zanu-PF party, saying that they would not allow a "toddler" to rule the southern African country.
Zimbabwe was expected to go to its first presidential elections without long-time rivals Robert Mugabe and the late Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) leader Morgan Tsvangirai.
The elections were set to take place later this year, with President Emmerson Mnangagwa running as Zanu-PF's candidate. The MDC was likely to field in the youthful Nelson Chamisa, 40.
Chamisa was named the acting MDC_leader after Tsvangirai's death from colon cancer on February 14.
But according to New Zimbabwe.com, chiefs from Mashonaland east recently endorsed their support for Mnangagwa, saying that they would never "allow anyone who never fought in the liberation struggle or was an infant during that period to become the country's president".
The chiefs said this during a meeting with the Zanu-PF women's league.
In clear reference to Chamisa, one of the chiefs said that "they would do everything in their power to prevent a toddler" from ruling the country.
"We will not allow someone who was a toddler, learning to walk during the liberation war to be president of this country. As chiefs, we will not allow people who have no track record in fighting for the country’s liberation struggle.
"We will not support someone who was young or not yet born during the war to be president of Zimbabwe. Our support is with the people who fought for Zimbabwe's independence," Enos Musakwa also known as Chief Musarurwa was quoted as saying.
