Trust Freddy Zimpapers Correspondent
LOCAL Government and Public Works Permanent Secretary Engineer Tafadzwa Muguti has confirmed the recall of three traditional leaders from the Senate, including Deputy Chiefs’ Council president Chief Fortune Charumbira, Chief Nhema and Chief Chitanga.
Eng Muguti said the Masvingo Provincial Assembly of Chiefs met and deliberated on September 14 and resolved to recall the three Chiefs.
He was speaking in Harare yesterday during an interface with chairpersons of Provincial Assemblies of Chiefs, Directors of Local Government Services and District Development Coordinators.
“As of this morning (yesterday), the President of the Senate has been served with the papers by the Honourable Minister and the president of the National Chiefs Council, Chief Mtshana Khumalo, has also been served with the papers and the chiefs themselves have also been notified.”
He said it was with regret that the recalls had been made and legal processes for their official removal from Senate will now follow.
“So it is with regret that Mambo Charumbira, Mambo Chitanga have been recalled from the Senate, so the process will now undergo legal procedures for them to be officially removed from the Senate.
“At the same time, elections will then take place in line with their replacements in the Senate and that is the position of Government as of right now,” Eng Muguti said.
Eng Muguti said Government wants to restore respect and dignity for traditional leaders in line with President Mnangagwa’s vision, but expressed concern over rising conflicts within traditional jurisdictions.
“His Excellency’s vision for traditional affairs is to ensure that our traditional leaders are given the code of respect that they deserve. But apart from that, we have a lot of conflicts within traditional jurisdictions,” he said.
He said the Ministry is inundated with over a thousand complaints from village heads, headmen and chiefs, hence the need to seek wisdom from the traditional leadership.
“So we have the President of the National Chiefs’ Council, Chief Khumalo, who, together with myself, is overseeing this indaba with the chairpersons of the provincial assemblies of chiefs from the eight provinces,” he said.
Eng Muguti said Government wants traditional leaders to play an active role in fighting drug and substance abuse, ensuring equitable beneficiation of provincial resources and driving economic development towards Vision 2030.
“This is the very first time in the history of the Ministry we have had such an indaba, but I thought it is a good, important starting point as the newly appointed Permanent Secretary, by His Excellency, to ensure that we walk along, we toe the line,” he said.
