admintheir respective constituents in the council where they are set to form an electoral college to elect the Chief Council president and vice-president on Friday next week.
The chiefs would meet again on August 2 to elect 16 chiefs to fill their quota in the Senate.
Five Masvingo chiefs, including Chief Charumbira, were duly elected after they were nominated unopposed during elections that were supervised by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission at Masvingo Chiefs’ Hall.
A total of 19 substantive Masvingo chiefs took part in the election.
ZEC Masvingo provincial officer Mr Zex Pudurai said those who had been elected into the NCC were Chief Charumbira, Mr Vengai Rushwaya (Chief Serima), Mr Joseph Mudhe (Chief Marozva), Mr Jerera Mashavave (Chief Nyakunhuwa) and Mr Felani Chauke, Chief Chitanga.
Mr Rangarirai Bwawanda, Chief Nhema of Zaka, had also been nominated but he withdrew his candidature to avoid an election.
Speaking after the election, Chief Charumbira expressed satisfaction with the way the elections had been conducted saying those who had been chosen would work very hard to make sure they represent and articulate the wishes of other Masvingo chiefs.
“I want to applaud you for voting in peace, please note that the process of voting does not end here. Please turn out in your numbers in your respective areas for the 31 July election when we vote for National Assembly members, local authority councillors and the President,” he said.
Mashonaland Central province’s 18 councils that took part in the elections held in Bindura re-elected Mr Clemence Nembire (Chief Nembire), Mr Joel Batsirayi Nyarumwe (Chief Musana), Mr Daster Chisunga (Chief Chisunga) and Mr Enock Ndivaringi (Chief Nyamaropa) to the national council.
ZEC provincial elections officer, Mrs Thenjiwe Mnkandla, said the elections went on well. “Chiefs retained all the four members of the council that have been there in the past term,” she said.
Mrs Mnkandla said four other chiefs who were nominated were not seconded. The chiefs said they agreed that the quartet be retained since there were more experienced in governance. Mashonaland Central has 26 chiefs with seven of them acting.
Also speaking after the elections, the chiefs discouraged communities from engaging in any form of political violence. Chief Nembire said it was everyone’s right to vote for a candidate of choice and there should not be any intimidation.
“I urge Zimbabweans to go and vote in their numbers and do so peacefully,” he said adding,
“We have a mammoth task of re-aligning certain areas according to the new constitution. We are going to debate some of the amendments which need to be re-aligned to the new constitution.
“We want to improve the status of chiefs, their jurisdiction, remunerations of chiefs and village heads among other things.”
In Mashonaland East, the provincial chiefs council retained Chiefs Mr Enos Musarurwa (Chief Musarurwa), Mr Samson Katsande (Chief Nyamukoho), Mr Simon Chidziva (Chief Chinamhora) and Patrick Mudzimurema in the NCC.
The quartet was unanimously nominated by all the 20 chiefs present, a situation that saw them being declared duly elected without casting of ballot papers.
Before the nomination process, Chief Chikwaka told ZEC provincial election officer, Mr Collins Munetsi, that there was no need for an election saying they had already agreed on the people to represent the province.
“In Mashonaland East province we are organised. There is no need for the elections. We already have our people,” said Chief Chikwaka.
Mr Munetsi, however, said in terms of the law nomination process had to be conducted.
“What you are telling me has to be reflected in the nomination process. If all the chiefs nominate the four, then we would not go for an election, the need to distribute ballot papers falls away,” said Mr Munetsi.
Chief Chikwaka also said the province representation had been reduced from five chiefs to four, saying it left other districts with no representation in the national chiefs council.
Director of Traditional leaders in the Ministry of Local Government, Rural and Urban Development, Mr Fanuel Mukwaira, said the figures were in terms of a proclamation by President Mugabe in the Government Gazette and ZEC was merely implementing the directive.
All the 20 chiefs present were subsequently given nomination papers where it emerged that the four were unanimously endorsed.
In an interview, soon after the process, Mr Munetsi described the process as transparent.
“It was a transparent process. It would appear the chiefs put their act together which is why we just went as far as nomination,” said Mr Munetsi.
Chief Musarurwa assured his colleagues that he would continue to work with all stakeholders for the upliftment of chiefs.
“I will continue to work with all stakeholders for the good of the country. Let us all advise our subjects to go and vote on July 31 2013 and vote wisely, the same kind of wisdom we have shown today,” he said.
In Mashonaland West, Chief Neuso, Chief Dandahwa, Chief Nebiri and Chief Zvimba were elected as representatives of the province while Titos Mudzamiri who is Chief Neuso from Sanyati and Try Fraser Manyepa, Chief Dandahwa from Hurungwe, were re-elected with 13 and 12 votes respectively.
Stanley Mhondoro (Chief Zvimba) and Wilson Nebiri (Chief Nebiri) from Kariba had nine votes respectively and replaced Chief Negande of Kariba and Chief Nherera from Mhondoro.
Mr Tinashe Pfunye presided over the election at Cooksey Memorial Hall in Chinhoyi.
The ZEC provincial elections officer, Mr Kenneth Kwaramba, explained the procedures of contesting and voting to the 17 chiefs before the election started.
“Only substantive chiefs ordained by President Mugabe are eligible to participate in these elections,” he said. Mr Kwaramba said the election was being conducted under Chapter 213 Section 4 of the new Constitution.
Mr Kwaramba described the process as democratic, free and fair. A total of 17 chiefs from the province participated in the election and only two did not attend owing to other commitments.
Chief Nebiri, who spoke on behalf of his colleagues, said they were happy to have been re-elected and it showed that they were hard working.
“The other chiefs have confidence in us hence they have chosen us to represent them in the Chiefs Council,” he said.
In Mutare Chief Chiduku was returned as the Manicaland provincial chiefs’ leader. He was elected together with chiefs Gwenzi, Nyashanu, Mutema and Mapungwana to the province in the national council.
ZEC Manicaland provincial elections officer Mr Moffat Masabeya who conducted the elections described them as successful. Although Manicaland has 31 chiefs altogether, only 19 substantive chiefs were eligible to vote. However, 16 chiefs managed to vote due to the absence of Chiefs Chikore, Katerere and Musikavanhu.
“The elections were held peacefully and smoothly,” said Mr Masabeya. Chief Chiduku promised to raise Manicaland flag high at national level.,” he said.
In Matabeleland North, the election was conducted at Ntabazinduna Chiefs’ Hall where 20 chiefs voted.
Incumbent deputy president of the Chiefs’ Council, Chief Lucas Mtshane Khumalo of Bubi, Chief Charles Tshuma Sikalenge of Binga, Chief Zondani Neluswe Shana of Hwange and Chief Gilford Ndiweni Nkalakatha of Nkayi were duly elected.
Of the four, three except, Chief Sikalenge, retained their posts.
Matabeleland North provincial elections officer Mr Mark Ndlovu said the election was conducted in a peaceful manner.
“The nomination process started at 10am and all the chiefs stood a chance of winning. After the nomination process six chiefs had the highest marks and we were supposed to conduct a vote,” said Mr Ndlovu.
“However, Chief Ashel Gampu Sithole of Tsholotsho and Chief Nkatazo Siabatwa Siansale withdrew their nomination.”
In the Midlands five chiefs were elected.
Chief Chireya was elected to represent the Gokwe North/South cluster after the two Gokwe districts were rolled into one seat while Chief Ntabeni of Zhombe will represent the Gweru/Kwekwe cluster.
Mberengwa, which is the biggest district in terms of population, was split into two clusters which will be represented by Chief Ngungumbane and Chief Mataruse.
The two chiefs were elected unopposed as their colleagues withdrew from the election citing advanced age and other commitments.
The Zvishavane/Shurugwi/Chirumanzu cluster will be represented by Chief Chirumanzu who won the seat after a re-run. In the initial round, Chief Mapanzure had won the election but ZEC ordered a re-run after it was discovered that the man representing Chief Mapanzure could not be voted for as per the new electoral laws although he was accorded the power of attorney by the chief.
Thirty-one chiefs who attended the provincial assembly of chiefs meeting were eligible to vote. The meeting was only for substantive chiefs.
ZEC’s Midlands manager Mrs Dorcas Mpofu was the presiding officer. Mrs Mpofu told the traditional leaders that the winners will on July 2 go to Harare to elect the president and his deputy for the Chiefs Council.
“On August 2 you will be in Harare to elect your president of the chiefs council,” said Mrs Mpofu.
Midlands Provincial Administrator, Ms Cecilia Chitiyo, who was helping in the running of the election, told the chiefs to return in August to select two chiefs to represent them in the Senate.
Four chiefs’ representatives were elected in Matabeleland South in an election held in Gwanda Town . The provincial elections officer, Mr Jotham Nyathi presided over the secret ballot voting system where 22 chiefs participated. Eight chiefs were nominated and voted for. The eight were Chief Nyangazonke Ndiweni of Matobo, Chief Mathema from Gwanda, Chief Masendu from Bulilima, Chief Sibasa from Insiza, Chief Maduna from Insiza, Chief Masuku from Gwanda, Chief Sangulube from Mangwe and Chief Malaba from Matobo.
The elected were Chief Masendu who garnered 15 votes, followed by Chief Nyangazonke with 14. There was a tie in votes for Chief Mathema and Chief Maduna with 13 votes each.
Chief Maduna was also elected as the Matabeleland South provincial chiefs assembly chairperson taking over from Chief Malaba.
Mr Nyathi declared the four chiefs as duly elected members of the Council of Chiefs with effect from yesterday.
Meanwhile, in her address before the chiefs’ election in Gwanda, Matabeleland South Provincial Governor and Resident Minister Cde Angeline Masuku appealed to the chiefs to promote peace and an environment of non violence during, before and after the harmonised elections expected to be held on 31July.
“Our appeal is that as we go for elections, the chiefs as custodians of the people in their areas should ensure that peace prevails during the elections as has been emphasized by President Mugabe.
“If peace continues to prevail during the election period, this would greatly dignify our President and the country as a whole,” she said.
Cde Masuku also appealed to the politicians to emulate the chiefs who have always maintained peace during their elections as opposed to politicians who at times indulge in violence.”–Herald/Bulawayo Bureau
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