Chief Pashu: 1 man, 3 roles

An assortment of small cars, buses, haulage trucks and trains criss-cross in different directions commandeered by people on different errands in Hwange.

The coterie of hooting cars in the streets is a distraction to those dosing and enjoying the comfort and warmth of their offices. This is so especially to those who claim to have “smart jobs” and just update their diary and check the day’s programme, the hooters are a nuisance.
But in the villages, far away from the madding crowd, sunrise marks the beginning of unforgettable events of hard work, in the fields, in homes and drinking holes and so do young boys go herding cattle.
For those at school, a sunrise means is not ideal especially in the season when it is cold. A sunrise is not always loved by most because of the activities which can be tiresome; most wish a sunrise was a sunset.
However the feelings towards a sunrise is different for George Nyathi the substantive Chief Pashu of remote Binga, to him as the sunsets he cannot wait for a sunrise as he believes in every sunrise he has to make his people happy.
Nyathi is a banker, traditional chief and a politician who believes, has three callings running concurrently.
Many might wonder how a 59-year-old traditional chief from Binga can answer all the three callings.
“I am a branch manager at Agribank in Hwange, a traditional chief as well as a politician. I make no apology for that, because that is me,” he proudly says.
He was appointed substantive Chief Pashu in 2012 and he is looking forward to preserving the traditional beliefs of the baTonga people.
He said people always look down upon the people of Binga or the BaTonga people but I am a proud Tonga hailing from Binga and I have made through.
“I was born in Binga and went to school at Pashu, Tinde primary schools and then to Kariyangwe Mission were I did my Standard 4 , 5 and 6.
“I then went to Marist Brothers’ in Dete were I did my secondary education.
“I enrolled at Bulawayo United College of Education, where I trained as a primary school teacher,” said Chief Pashu.
Chief Pashu said since he became a teacher, he pledged to teach at all the schools that he got educated as a way of developing his area.
He said developing an area also means liberating it hence in 1978 he crossed the border to Botswana to join the liberation struggle.
“I crossed to Botswana and then went to Zambia where I did the necessary training and I became more proud of where I came from,” he said.
Chief Pashu said after Zimbabwe gained its independence he went to Tanzania and attained an Advanced Diploma in Banking.
“After obtaining my Diploma in Banking in 1982, I joined Zimbank were I worked for close to 18 years and then subsequently joined Agribank as a branch manager where I work up to now,” he said.
As a politician, Chief Pashu said Zanu-PF had taught him to be a dignified person and mentored him to be a patriotic and self-respecting Zimbabwean, from his days as a young man.
“I joined the ruling party in 1968 as a youth. I was a secretary and linked closely with the late national hero Cde Muntanga, who served in the party’s Politburo for five years. I served as a Zanu-PF provincial member for 15 years and I am currently in the National Consultative Assembly,” he said.
“Some people wonder how I juggle around with the three important things I do in life. Politics is part of my life, banking is also part of my life and my traditional beliefs are also part of my life.
“During the week I attend to my full-time work at Agribank in Hwange and during the weekends I go to Binga where with the help of the assessors we preside over community disputes.
“I am different from any other chiefs. Some chiefs did not go through the war, so my war blood is still flowing in me, and I cannot stop talking about it,” he said.
The Pashu chiefdom is the second largest in Binga District and has 22 schools – the biggest number in the district. It also has five clinics.
He said every week he conducts workshops on leadership and conflicts in preparation for the forthcoming elections.
Chief Pashu said as a traditional leader, a lot of things have been said in despising the culture of the baTonga but he will always try to preserve the culture.
He said the mushrooming of some churches and non-governmental organisations are diluting the culture of the baTonga.
“Some churches just want to degrade our culture and at the same time the NGos in the district are there to inflict the dependence syndrome upon the Binga people other than developing the area,” he said.
He also said some of the traditional beliefs are which oppress women in the district can only be overcome if the education system in the area increases by the construction of as many schools as possible to educate the girl child.
Chief Pashu, who is the source of inspiration to most people in the Pashu area, is a well cultured man who stands by his traditional beliefs. As a banker, he believes in making money is making sense and as a politician he says know where you come from.
“I am prepared to serve my chieftainship as a Senator chief, because I believe I can take Binga to greater heights as well as Zimbabwe,” said the chief.
Chief Pashu holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Administration. He is also a family man, with four children and has one wife.
“In our culture it is very common to have a million of wives, but in my case it is a matter of choice. I have only one and her name is Agnes Nyathi,” he said.