Chiefs council moves to end disputes

George Maponga

Masvingo Bureau

The provincial chiefs assembly here plans to resolve all the eight chieftainship disputes across Masvingo, in a development expected to pave way for the installation of substantive office bearers.

Masvingo has many unresolved chieftainship disputes, some of which have dragged on for nearly 10 years as families in the succession line fought for the throne.

Covid-19 worsened the situation, with the provincial chiefs assembly hamstrung by restrictions in movement in line with Government regulations to curb spread of the virus.

Funding woes also worsened the situation, resulting in eight chieftainships here namely Gutu, Munyikwa and Makore in Gutu District, Mkanganwi and Ziki in Bikita, Nyakunhuwa in Zaka, Nyajena in Masvingo and Murove in Mwenezi going for an average of more than half a decade without substantive chiefs.

Masvingo provincial chiefs’ assembly chair Chief Chitanga, Mr Felani Chauke, yesterday said they were ready to bring closure to all disputes over chieftainships.

According to Chief Chitanga, the Government had availed resources for the exercise.

The ongoing relaxation of Covid-19 regulations by Government in light of declining active cases of the novel coronavirus in the country also augurs for the thrust.

“We are preparing to resume consultative meetings with families in the succession line in at least eight chieftainships currently under the tutelage of acting chiefs because of unresolved disputes over succession,” said Chief Chitanga.

“There are at least eight chieftainships that we are going to attend to and try to resolve ongoing disputes so that substantive appointments are made, paving way for official installation.” Chief Chitanga was upbeat by his assembly’s capacity to resolve all the disputes.

“We were severely affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, which restricted movement of people,” he said. “We could not gather families to resolve chieftainship wrangles because big gatherings were illegal but there is now some flexibility and we are now good to go and finish our work.

“I am also happy that Government has given us the requisite resources to attend to all the outstanding cases, so in the area of resources we are covered and we will soon constitute our teams to go to hot-spot areas and resolve obtaining challenges so that substantive chiefs are appointed.

Appointment of substantive chiefs would be a harbinger for development as the office holders would be able to rally their people towards any cause without the risk of opposition from some quarters.