Chronicle Editor
Wallace Ruzvidzo Harare Bureau
GOVERNMENT is committed to ensuring that no one starves or dies of hunger in the wake of the El Nino-induced drought, with measures in place to expedite the distribution of food to all corners of the country, President Mnangagwa has said.
In this regard, chiefs will play a leading role in the ongoing food distribution in rural communities. Speaking when he handed over 90 vehicles to chiefs in Harare yesterday, President Mnangagwa said Government would continue to improve traditional leaders’ conditions of service in line with their social standing so that they become truly esteemed and dignified in the discharge of their duties.
Chiefs and other traditional leaders play a critical role in food distribution through the traditional Zunde RaMambo/Isiphala SeNkosi, usually the first response to cases of vulnerability while households are being registered for the main Government programmes.
So far, five tonnes of food have been distributed in each of the country’s 1,970 wards for stocking the Zunde RaMambo/Isiphala SeNkosi.
“As you are aware, the nation is currently going through one of the worst droughts ever experienced in our recent history, due to the vagaries of climate change. Be that as it may, my Government has already put in place measures to ensure that no one starves.
“In this regard, the Zunde RaMambo/Isiphala SeNkosi programme has gained traction as we grapple with the El-Nino-induced drought, which requires our traditional leaders to distribute food aid to the needy people in rural communities.
“My Government shall remain steadfast in distributing food to ensure that no one starves and Chiefs play a pivotal role in food distribution through the Zunde RaMambo/Isiphala SeNkosi programme,” President Mnangagwa said.
The capacitation of Chiefs through the handover of vehicles, he said, was part of Government’s grand plan to uphold their dignity as historical custodians of the country’s land and culture.
“It is also in line with the Government policy, which has seen us giving the Chiefs vehicles after every five years. The policy is premised on the understanding that Chiefs’ functions contribute directly and indirectly towards the attainment of Vision 2030, which seeks to achieve an upper-middle income economy for our people.
“Further, the facility ensures that the Chiefs can carry out their critical duties more efficiently and effectively,” President Mnangagwa said.
Government ministries and departments, he said, had since been directed to provide other services and utilities that uplift the livelihoods and standing of traditional leaders.
These include construction and maintenance of access roads to Chiefs’ homesteads, electrification of their homes, provision of water and sanitation facilities, as well as the tillage programme, among other services.
“My Government shall continuously pursue such interventions to improve the welfare and general conditions of service for our esteemed Chiefs. The Second Republic has put together a scheme that will enable all traditional leaders to access medical assistance through medical insurance as well as a funeral assistance package for our dearly departed Chiefs,” President Mnangagwa said.
“My Government will continue to improve the conditions of service for traditional leaders so that they become truly esteemed and dignified leaders”.
He said Government had enacted new laws which have given additional roles to traditional leaders, chief among them being the Marriages Act which has seen Chiefs being trained on their duties as marriage officers.
“In addition, the Births and Deaths Registry Act has empowered Chiefs in a manner which sees them registering births and deaths,” said President Mnangagwa.
He urged the traditional leaders to continue preserving the country’s cultural values and norms, as the Second Republic continues to usher in life-altering developments albeit under the albatross of unilateral sanctions.
“As we diligently pursue our quest to enhance water and sanitation accessibility, my administration has initiated the drilling of boreholes under the Presidential Borehole Drilling Scheme, which will see the drilling of boreholes in all the 35 000 villages across the country.
“Despite the illegal Western-imposed sanctions, which have brought about unfavourable economic conditions, Government will continue to review and address matters to do with remuneration and emoluments accruable to traditional leaders,” said President Mnangagwa.
Speaking at the same occasion, Vice President Dr Constantino Chiwenga said since the advent of the Second Republic, the welfare of Chiefs had consistently improved.
Vice President Cde Kembo Mohadi commended the country’s traditional leaders for spearheading development in their jurisdictions.
Local Government and Public Works Minister Dr Daniel Garwe said all 302 Chiefs in the country would be capacitated with vehicles.
The Minister of State for Harare Provincial Affairs and Devolution Cde Charles Tavengwa said Chiefs constituted the core of society hence their continued capacitation under the Second Republic.
Cabinet Ministers and senior Government officials were among those who attended the ceremony.
Bongani Ndlovu
Online Reporter