adminSifundiso Ndlovu Chronicle Reporter
THE Minister of Local Government and National Housing Dr Ignatius Chombo has urged traditional leaders to preserve culture to guard against acts such as homosexuality and the sexual abuse of children by their parents.In a speech read on his behalf by his deputy Joel Biggy Matiza at the installation of Chief Jahana at Ensideni, Insiza district in Matabeland South yesterday, Dr Chombo said some of the crimes that are taking place are a result of communities losing their identities.
The new Chief Jahana, Ndumiso Khumalo, 43, is a descendant of King Lobengula, the last Ndebele king and was being installed following the death of his father Solomon Khumalo who passed away in 2012.
“As we all know, because of the modern times we live in, we have lost our traditions and culture. This has seen the advent of cases of fathers raping their own daughters, men want to be married to another and it has become easy to break marriages,” Dr Chombo said.
He challenged the newly installed chief and other traditional leaders to ensure that their subjects respect and preserve their customs and traditions.
“Families are suffering as a result of loss of traditional ways. It’s incumbent on you as the chief and other traditional leaders to ensure that your subjects keep and respect their traditions,” he said.
Matabeland South Provincial Affairs minister Abednico Ncube said he was proud that the Chief was being installed in his ancestral land because of the land resettlement programme.
“We feel dignified and happy to install a chief in his rightful land after we reversed colonial injustices,” he said.
The late Chief Jahana, who was forced out of his land and moved to Gokwe by the colonial government in 1965, died after successfully reclaiming his ancestral land in 2008.
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