The Herald (Zimbabwe)

This peace is unmatched: Chiefs

- Walter Nyamukondi­wa Chinhoyi Bureau

PRESIDENT Mnangagwa’s call for a peaceful election has resonated with the population, resulting in unpreceden­ted peace in the run up to the July 30 elections throughout the country, traditiona­l leaders in Mashonalan­d West have said.

This comes as the President gave all the 28 chiefs in Mashonalan­d West Province solar geysers in light of the cold weather conditions.

Vice President Constantin­o Chiwenga said President Mnangagwa said the gesture was to ensure that the traditiona­l leaders carry out their duties in the communitie­s with dignity.

“We want people to grow crops such as wheat.

“We want to have rain this season. Our President has given solar geysers to every chief so that they have hot water and carry out their duties well and protect our land in ways that we all want as a nation,” he said.

Speaking on behalf of traditiona­l leaders in Mashonalan­d West Province, Senator Chief Dandawa of Hurungwe said the prevailing peace in Zimbabwe was unpreceden­ted.

“You spoke about peace in your address President and honestly speaking, from the areas where we are coming from, we have never seen such elections and peace before,” said Chief Dandawa.

“As chiefs we were discussing and from our history since 1980, we have been having problems regarding peace. Starting from Independen­ce, we have been having disturbanc­es in our elections, but from the time you spoke about peace, we have not had that in our areas. We have never seen such peace.”

Chief Dandawa said political parties were carrying out their campaigns freely.

“From the time that the President spoke of peace, everything is peaceful and people are going about their business. Political

parties are carrying out their campaigns freely. There is peace and we are very grateful as chiefs,” he said.

President Mnangagwa has promised a free, fair and credible election as Zimbabwe positions itself among nations of the world by conforming to regional and internatio­nal electoral standards.

The call by chiefs came as President Mnangagwa said Zimbabwe was a peaceful country

which had opened its doors to regional and internatio­nal observers.

President Mnangagwa said there was nothing to hide.

“Even the heavens proclaim that there is peace in the country. Of course there are those who always want to fan violence,” said President Mnangagwa in his address at the Chinhoyi University of Technology sports grounds.

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