adminattended by 20 chiefs and headmen.
A source that attended the meeting presided over by Zimrights director, Mr Okay Machisa, said the organisation advised the chiefs to apply for the money discreetly.
Details of how much was set aside for the so-called cleansing ceremonies were not immediately available yesterday.
“The majority of the traditional leaders present at the meeting indicated that they were not prepared to enter into secret pacts with the organisation calling for transparency in the exercise,” revealed the source.
A chief from Mashonaland East Province, name supplied, indicated that he would apply for the money as he wanted to host a traditional cleansing ceremony next month. The initiative by Zimrights to engage the chiefs to conduct cleansing ceremonies comes against the backdrop of claims by the MDC-T party that some of its supporters were allegedly killed and other injured during previous election campaigns by their political opponents. Mr Machisa confirmed on Friday that such a meeting took place in Gweru and was attended by many chiefs from different parts of the country. However, Mr Machisa denied that Zimrights had set up a fund to sponsor cleansing ceremonies throughout the country. He said the issue was raised by some chiefs who wanted such events to be conducted in their areas.
“I can confirm that such a meeting took place and I presided over it. However, I want to dismiss claims that Zimrights has set up such a fund for chiefs to conduct cleansing ceremonies in their communities,” said Mr Machisa.
“What I know is we are working on peace building at community level and we work with community leadership. This is part of the national healing process and that is the reason why we believe this should be community based. As for the money for cleansing ceremonies, we do not have such kind of money. Yes we have donor funding, but there is no budget to fund chiefs’ activities.”
Mr Machisa, however, said everything was going to be done under the armpit of the Organ on National Healing, Reconciliation and Integration.
The Zimbabwe Council of Chiefs president, Chief Fortune Charumbira, on Friday said he was not informed that Zimrights had such a meeting with some of his members and was planning to conduct some cleansing ceremonies.
“I am totally not aware of that. I work with chiefs at Senate level and their representation never told me that there was such a meeting with Zimrights in Gweru. It is wrong for chiefs to do that. Zimrights is a foreign funded organisation and it cannot sanction what to do on our cultural values and norms. After all they are donors who are in conflict with our values,” he said.
Online Reporter