Chronicle Editor
Robin Muchetu, Senior Reporter
YOUNG traditional leaders have been called upon to upskill themselves through attaining various educational qualifications which will empower them to effectively interpret laws and important information for the benefit of their subjects.
This was said by Dr Zama Mkhwananzi, Senator Chief Ngungumbane of Mberengwa District in Midlands Province on the sidelines of his recent graduation. Chief Ngungumbane graduated with a Doctor of Philosophy in Peace and Governance from the Zimbabwe Open University (ZOU).
For his thesis Chief Ngungumbane interrogated the impact of the duality of governance on the roles of Traditional Leaders in Matabeleland South Province.
Speaking on the importance of traditional leaders to enhance their academic qualifications, the Chief said education is the cornerstone to everything, noting that gone are the days where chieftainship is confined to only old people.
“We have a generational change and a renewal in that aspect. I encourage other traditional leaders, especially the young ones that the sky is the limit, education will better equip the young leaders, and people will not underestimate you when you are educated because society thinks chiefs are uneducated people which is why they look down upon them,” he said.
His PhD studies started in 2019 coinciding with the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic and other obligations that were coming in the way of his studies.
“It was a long and tough road, I had to balance my studies, family life, and duties as a chief, duties as a Senator, and the duties of being National Chiefs’ Council provincial chairperson. The other challenge was Covid-19. These challenges delayed the completion of my studies because we had to suspend field visits, it happened when I was about to go out and collect data. It forced me to stop for close to eight to nine months,” said Chief Ngungumbane.
Upon the resumption of his research, he visited the area where he was conducting the research and respondents were reluctant to engage him fearing that he would bring Covid-19 to the rural areas from the city.
“I had to change a lot of things and I had to provide masks, sanitisers for the respondents and it did cost me,” he said.
Chief Ngungumbane said the new accolade will assist him in personal enhancement, that of the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works, the Chiefs Council, and the academia.
“I undertook studies to generate new knowledge to enhance my capabilities as a traditional leader. We live in a global village where education is evolving, science is in the midst of things, and it is a way of trying to move with the times, at the same time living with traditions and cultures.
“We have a lot of things that have been written about the institution which we feel some were not true and some were based on assumptions, so one needed to base their thoughts and beliefs for academic research to say what I experienced on the ground, is it true. So I did my study in Umzingwane District and my findings confirmed my earlier assumptions that I had about the institution,” he said.
As part of his research findings, Chief Ngungumbane noted that traditional leaders’ roles in governance were being hamstrung by archaic legislation and policies; uncoordinated Government ministries and agencies that compete for roles and resources with traditional leaders.
“We have a new constitution and we have not amended the Traditional Leaders Act so this study I hope will influence the planning process of the Traditional Leaders Act. We also have the Customary Law and Local Courts Act which also has to conform to the dictates of the Constitution. This study, as part of its recommendations, is to come up with dispute resolution in terms of succession disputes, removal and suspension of traditional leaders,” he said.
Chief Ngungumbane said he also looked into the issue of female succession and the principle of primogeniture which is an exclusive right of succession belonging to the eldest son.
He paid tribute to his late father Mr Douglas Mkhwananzi and his mother who he said were an inspiration to him and his siblings.
“As the oldest I want to set a bar because it was my late father’s dream of pursuing education. It’s a form of paying back to the values they inculcated in us. Unfortunately, my mother suffered a stroke and she was not there on graduation day to see and enjoy the benefits of her teachings,” he said.
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