Don’t drag chiefs into factional politics: Charumbira
ZIMBABWE Council of Chiefs president Chief Fortune Charumbira has warned chiefs against meddling in factional politics saying they are supposed to be custodians of national culture and heritage and should resist engaging in political fights.
He said chiefs should not be involved in factional political fights or allow themselves to be dragged into such but should concentrate on denouncing the proliferation of such alien cultures as homosexuality and abortion in the country.
Speaking during the closing ceremony of the National Chiefs Conference in Bulawayo yesterday, Chief Charumbira said chiefs should not give in to the demands of opposition political parties some of which were packaged via NonGovernmental Organisations.
“We have problems with some NGOs in this country that are meddling in the politics of the county and our people should not entertain that. These NGOs bring in homosexuality and things like abortion which is not what we want. We do not want homosexuality in this country,” he said.
Chief Charumbira said the nation must be strong in maintaining cultural practices that embodies values of ubuntu/unhu. Chief Charumbira said it was also important that young people who have taken up positions of power respect traditional leaders such as chiefs.
“Young people in political leadership should not be found disrespecting chiefs; you find them questioning us as to why we are seen at political activities saying we should not take part in politics. That is not right, it is important that they respect us while we do our job,” he said.
He said chiefs should be respected as the Constitution stipulated that they deserve dignity from all.
Chief Charumbira said headmen were now receiving allowances each month which he said was a plus as they had no other source of income beside the little that they were getting through the benevolence of villagers in their areas.
He said the chiefs were grateful for the support that President Mugabe was giving them, adding that their salary was coming on time together with other Government workers. He said plans were also afoot to ensure widows and children of chiefs were assisted when the chief dies.
Deputy president of the Council of Chiefs Mtshane Khumalo applauded the move to buy new vehicles for chiefs saying it was long overdue.
“This is a welcome development looking at the fact that chiefs last got cars 13 years ago, so these new ones will go a long way in assisting us in carrying out our duties,” he said.
Kana ndauya kumadzishe, ndinodupika, ndinova mwana kumadzishe. Ndinova mwana wetsika. Ndinofara kuti takachengetedza tsika dzedu kupfuura nyika dzakawanda muAfrica.
“Hondo yatakarwa yeChimurenga haina kuva hondo yekuti titore nyika yedu, ivhu redu chete; nyika yedu nemasango edu chete. Yakava hondo yekuti tiva nemasimba ekuzvitonga, masimba ekuzvitonga, masimba ekuchengetedza mirawo yedu yatinozvitonga nayo.
“Tsika hadziwore. Vanhu tino uya tichifa, tichiora, tichienda. Asi, zvizvarwa nezvizvarwa zvinosara netsika. Saka tichiti kana tauya sema- politicians, tinobva tati tauya zvino kwatinopiwha hunhu sevana veZimbabwe, kune nhaka yedu tose sevana veZimbabwe.
“Saka, kuma- chief edu tinoti; rambai makadaro. Hamudzokere shure. You dare not. Customs don’t recede; they will never have that habit. They have a habit of permanence. Imi muri vakuru vetsika.”
President Mugabe said he was aware that some chiefs had not benefited from the Land Reform Programme and Government would rectify that.
He said the recent purchase of vehicles for tradition leaders was part of Government’s resolve to improve their standards of living.
“Tine hurombo kuti pamakore iwaya ndanga ndakuitai varombo vevarombo, musisina chimiro chakanaka. Ndinotenda kuti makataura neveLocal Government vaka kupai pfungwa yeHurumende kuti aiwa, tinoda kudzosera chimiro chenyu, kuti muvevanhu vanopihwa rukudzo, kwete chete nevanhu venyu, asi neHurumende zvakare.
“Saka chechiposhi, makati munoda chekufambisa; tikati aiwa, zvakanaka. Vana (Minister of Finance and Economic Development Dr Ignatius) Chombo nevamwe vedu vakabata homwe dzemari vachoona kuti Madzishe apihwa mota dzakasimba, dzine chimiro chakanaka, dzinokwanisa kufambiswa, dzakasimbawo, dzinopa vanamai, madzimai avo kufara kuti varidze mupururu. Saka, ndinovimba dzichakurumidza kuuya, mopihwa mota idzodzo.”
The President said Government was downsizing farms and would this unlock more land.
“Ndinodawo zvakare kuti imi nesu tione kuti mumatunhu edu ndevapi vanhu vari pasi penyu vasina kupihwa minda. Zvechokwadi toona minister vedu veLands VaMombeshora kuti vobatsirwa sei.
“Vane minda yakakura, 500 hectares, tichadimura; vamwe vane 2 000 vachiti tinoita mombe, mombe ngadzirimirwe sora . . . Anyway, tinosungirwa kuti patinopihwa kwete kuti nekuti iwe uri mukuru unosungirwa kuwana 2 000 (hectares); hatidi. Say we move you today from that post, uyu ari kuuya achazowanawo 2 000 here? Anyway, iye zvino tinoda kutarisa kuti minda mikuru-kuru ndeipi inosungirwa kudimburwa tipe vamwe zvi- piece zvipiece.”
Regarding land reform beneficiaries who were fronting for white former commercial farmers, President Mugabe said, “Ivhu redu rirambe riri mumaoko edu. Vanenge vagoverwa minda vasafunge kuti vapihwa ivhu. Ivhu haripihwe munhu, rinoyera. Ivhu nderenyika. Iva munhu anoshandisa ivhu chete, mangwana rinopihwawo mumwe.
“Kuti bhunu tarirwisa, tari tanda muno munyika ronzi rakuda kudududza kuuya nenjere; ‘tokupai matractor ekurimisa, tokupai ma- centre pivot ekudiridzisa. Ahh, tinongoda kukubatsira kurima, garai zvenyu kudhorobha kana muchida; kana takohwa togovana’.
“Aiwa, hapana izvozvo. Kutengesa kwatava kuita kuti nyika itorwe nemabhunu zvakare. Hatidi, hatidi, hatidi! Vari kuzviita vana venyu (vemumatunhu enyu ma chief), vakangopihwa mapurazi, kupihwa