Online Reporter
George Maponga in ZAKA
Traditional leaders have been challenged to help the nation in combating the drug and substance abuse menace that is threatening to tear apart the country’s moral fabric.
The call was made yesterday by the Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA) Chief of Staff Administrative Staff Major-General Asher Walter Tapfumaneyi at Chief Nhema, Mr Rangarirai Bwawanda’s homestead in Zaka during the ZNA Masvingo province traditional day celebrations.
Major-Gen Tapfumaneyi lamented the impact of drugs and substances especially among the country’s youths and threw down the gauntlet to traditional leaders around the country to spring to action.
He urged traditional leaders to act before things worsened, warning that Zimbabwe would not have removed the colonial yoke if yesteryear youths dabbled in drugs and substances.
“The issue of drugs and substance abuse is a serious cause for concern and is rife amongst our youths, these youths who are being affected by these drugs are tomorrow’s leaders and how can they measure up to the task of leading the country tomorrow if they are into drugs and substances? Young people in my time decided to join the fight to free Zimbabwe from colonial rule, but we would not have succeeded if we were abusing drugs.’’
“I want to call upon our traditional leaders to join this war against drugs and substance abuse because traditional leaders are the custodians of our traditions and culture and have a role to play in making sure our young people stay away from drugs,’’ said Maj-Gen Tapfumaneyi.
The senior army officer also urged traditional leaders to take an active role in ensuring the nation nurtures morally upright and law-abiding citizens.
He noted that the majority of Zimbabwe lived in rural areas under the jurisdiction of traditional leaders who were supposed to make sure their subjects obey the law.
“Traditional leaders are also partners in national development and we expect our communities led by their traditional leaders to take a tough stand against those who vandalise electricity infrastructure or fence that stop livestock from straying into our highways causing road traffic accidents and carnage on our highways.’’
Maj-Gen Tapfumaneyi said traditional leaders were partners with the country’s defence forces and the Government in engendering a peaceful and prosperous Zimbabwe.
The country’s defence forces had a long history with traditional leaders, in particular, dating back to the days of the liberation struggle.
“Traditional leaders together with the country’s defence forces are partners in a relationship with the Government to develop our country so that we meet Vision 2030 targets that were set by President Mnangagwa,’’ he said.
He said as a testament to the good working relations between the defence forces and Government, the former was involved in the building of schools and clinics around the country to help engender a middle income economy by the year 2030.
He handed over grocery hampers and agricultural inputs to traditional leaders.
In his address, the Minister of State for Masvingo Provincial Affairs and Devolution Ezra Chadzamira also praised the important role played by traditional leaders in nation building.
He praised the country’s defence forces for giving impetus to Vision 2030 by assisting in infrastructural development through building of schools and clinics across the province.
Acting ZNA 4 Infantry Brigade commander Colonel Jabulani Mulambo said the army had a very solid working relationship with traditional leaders in Masvingo province.
Provincial chairperson of the chiefs’ assembly Chief Chitanga, Mr Feleni Chauke thanked the defence forces and the Government for supporting and restoring the dignity of the country’s traditional leadership institution.
Chief Chitanga pledged traditional leaders’ full support to Government programmes that seek to uplift the lives of the majority of Zimbabweans.
