Chiefs dedicate Zisco to ancestors

Michael Magoronga, Midlands Correspondent
TRADITIONAL leaders from across the Midlands Province on Friday thronged the Ziscosteel plant in Redcliff where they performed rituals.

Traditional opaque beer and drum beating as well as dancing characterised the all-night vigil as the traditional leaders performed their rites and dedicated the plant to their ancestors.

This comes as Ziscosteel has floated an Expression of Interest (EOI) which has since been extended to the end of June due to increased interest and request for more time to prepare from internal consortiums and external bidders.

Ziscosteel Public Relations Manager, Mrs Patricia Muzenda said given the latest developments at the company, they have been engaging stakeholders.

“We have been engaging all our stakeholders as we look forward to reopening the company. In that vein, the chiefs being key stakeholders requested that they wanted to perform their traditional rituals at the plant. So, the activity was a result of the request from our chiefs,” said Mrs Muzenda.

“We are a nation with our own beliefs and as a company we just had to comply with the request by the chiefs so that they can perform their rituals,” she said.

Mrs Muzenda said it was not the first time that such rituals were held at the company.

Chief Weight Gwesela said the function was meant to dedicate the company to their ancestors.

“We have different beliefs according to countries and as Zimbabwe we believe in dedicating everything we do to our ancestors. The event was for us to plead with our ancestors to watch over operations at the company. Remember this company deals with minerals and our ancestors watch over the minerals,” said Chief Gwesela.

Also in attendance were chiefs, Mupamombe, Malisa, Chiundura, Gambiza and Kazangarare, and officials from the Kwekwe District Development office as well as Ziscosteel representatives.