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Walter Nyamukondiwa in HURUNGWE
Former Zanu-PF Mashonaland West provincial chairman Mr Temba Mliswa has been fined for contempt of a traditional court and banished from areas under four chiefs in Hurungwe. Mr Mliswa was tried in absentia after failing to appear before chiefs Chundu, Dendera, Nyamhunga and Dandawa on Saturday. This, however, does not apply to his Spring Farm in Karoi.

He had a rural home in Chief Nyamhunga’s area before he allegedly derided traditional leaders in the area as ‘drunkards’ in the run-up to the Hurungwe West by-election which he lost to Zanu-PF’s Cde Keith Guzah. He was summoned to appear at Chief Chundu’s court but did not turn up to answer to contempt of court charges and disrespecting traditional leaders.

Contempt of court charges arise from Mr Mliswa’s failure to appear before the court on two other occasions. For failing to appear before the court, he was fined eight goats and eight chickens while the chiefs resolved to banish him from their areas of jurisdiction. Contacted for comment yesterday, Mr Mliswa said he was out of the country when the trial took place.

“I respect our traditional leaders but in this instance I could not have attended the said court hearing when I am out of the country,” he said. “At the same time, I indicated to the chiefs earlier that I could not deal with a matter that is before the High Court. It’s sub judice.” Chief Nyamhunga confirmed the developments saying Mr Mliswa showed high disregard for the authority of traditional leaders.

“We sat as the chiefs concerned including Chiefs Dandawa, Chundu and myself, Nyamhunga, and we deliberated on the issue leading to the resolution to ban him from the areas that we preside over,” said Chief Nyamhunga. He said Mr Mliswa could have given his side of the story but chose to be disrespectful. Chief Chundu, who presided over the court, confirmed the development saying as the magistrate, he could not comment further on the issue.

“Yes, indeed Mr Mliswa was supposed to appear before our court but he did not turn up nor excuse himself but instead chose to be contemptuous of the whole process leaving us with no choice but to try him in his absence,” said Chief Chundu. The traditional leaders’ gripe with Mr Mliswa is that he involved them in politics when he cited them as respondents in a case in which he was challenging his loss in the Hurungwe West constituency by-election.

The ruling and sentence is now expected to be presented before a magistrate for confirmation. Mr Mliswa is challenging the outcome of the Hurungwe West by-election in which he lost to Zanu-PF’s Cde Guzah. He cited chiefs Chundu, Dandawa, Dendera and Nyamhunga as respondents, among others. The former zanu-PF provincial chairman said he had a right to sue anyone, including chiefs, if he felt aggrieved.