RIGHTS AND TRADITIONS: TRADITIONAL LEADERSHIP, POLITICS AND HUMAN RIGHTS IN ZIMBABWE

Yesterday, 31 August 2022, we launched the latest ZimRights report titled, “Rights and Traditions: Traditional Leadership, Politics and Human Rights in Zimbabwe.”

The report was launched in Zaka at a community dialogue session of that was attended by local traditional leaders. The report follows one of the recommendations of our 2021 State of Peace Report ( https://www.zimrights.org.zw/zimbabwe-on-the-brink-living-in-fragile-peace/ ) that we launched on 23 June 2022 in Bulawayo and Harare. In launching the report, we show profound respect for the role that traditional leaders play in preserving our cultural values. The greatest of these values is respect for human dignity. This is why we are bringing this special resource to our traditional leaders as well as to our policy makers. This report triggers a conversation that is long overdue on the positive role that traditional leaders can play as partners in creating a culture of human rights. In the 2021 State of Peace Report, many of our communities spoke out on their concerns regarding how traditional leaders are being used by politicians to advance a partisan political agenda. The political agenda that raises concern is not only partisan, but many times leads to gross violation of human rights in contradiction to our cultural values as well as our laws. According to a recent Afrobarometer survey, 60% of Zimbabweans still trust traditional leaders. Even in the face of serious violations of human rights in which traditional leaders are implicated, what is true is that there are many traditional leaders of integrity who command the respect of their communities. The same Afrobarometer survey shows that 72% of Zimbabweans believe traditional leaders must stay out of partisan politics. The 2021 State of Peace Report went on to recommend dialogue on and with traditional leaders on their role in advancing human rights and find ways of restoring the people’s confidence in the institution of traditional leadership.

In the first of a dialogue series, yesterday we launched this important resource which we hope will help policy makers and traditional leaders in this important conversation. The report outlines the functions of the traditional leaders, the standards governing the institution, and discusses suggestions on enforcement and protection mechanisms. It concludes by making some suggestions on possible legislative reform, the need for behavioral change and a dialogue framework on the contributions of traditional leaders in fostering democracy in Zimbabwe.=

With gratitude to the Masvingo ZimRights Region, we pay great tribute to the Masvingo leadership for welcoming this report and their commitment to working towards strengthening the role of traditional leaders in advancing human rights and democracy.

You can access the report here https://www.zimrights.org.zw/rights-and-traditions/

?Issued by the ZimRights Media and Advocacy Department

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