PRESIDENT Mnangagwa yesterday met chiefs from Matabeleland
at State House in Bulawayo to discuss a number of issues including traditional
leaders taking a leading role in bringing closure to the Gukurahundi chapter.
The engagement, carried out in a spirit of openness and
commitment to unite the country by both the Government and chiefs, also
discussed the effects of drought, development and inclusivity.
Briefing journalists after the closed meeting, President
Mnangagwa said he attended the indaba at the invitation of traditional leaders
who wanted to share various challenges faced by their respective areas. He said
chiefs argued that it is important for them to play a role as it is their
subjects who were affected by Gukurahundi.
“The two provinces have put forward similar methods of
dealing with the issue of Gukurahundi. The major point that has come out is the
fact that Gukurahundi affected communities in which they preside as traditional
leaders. They are directly affected by the incident of Gukurahundi,” said President
Mnangagwa.
“Therefore, they have made an argument that in its
resolution, we should as Government, create a platform where the chiefs should
participate substantively because it is the communities which they preside over
which were affected.”
President Mnangagwa said any other interest groups on the
matter should have single platforms where the issues can be discussed and
resolutions or way forward agreed.
He said the traditional leaders also raised the need for
equal opportunities in the recruitment of staff into government and young
people in the security sector.
“There are areas that have been pointed out which are not
satisfactory, which I have assured our traditional leaders that the areas that
are weak should be corrected so that there is fairness in recruiting people
into the security sector,” said President Mnangagwa.
He said the chiefs also shared the effects of drought in
their areas which negatively impacted on food security.
Traditional leaders, the President said, raised social
issues which needed urgent attention such as education, roads infrastructure
and the availability or access to clean water.
“These challenges are not only found in these two
provinces, they are also prevalent in other provinces but we have done our best
to look at how these issues will be addressed,” said President Mnangagwa.
“Not all will be addressed overnight, some issues lend
themselves to quick solutions, others lend themselves to medium and long term
solutions but what is critical is the fact that these challenges have been put
forward and I’m happy that the provinces have put their challenges and issues
in priority order as to how they can be tackled.
“I think we had an open discussion and last but not least,
we all pledge ourselves, Government and communities to unity”.
Meanwhile, President Mnangagwa has castigated efforts by
some elements to divide chiefs along tribal lines.
Speaking briefly before the closed door session with
chiefs, President Mnangagwa also declined requests by some traditional leaders
to have deliberations in the absence of Chiefs Council president Chief Fortune
Charumbira.
“First I was requested that the president of the chief’s
council, when you give your grievances, should be absent. I am saying as
President of the Republic of Zimbabwe we need transparency, accountability and
no secrets and the president of the chiefs’ council Chief Charumbira will
remain here,” he said.
“Secondly, I received a letter from some two chiefs
requesting me to meet them here in Bulawayo, chiefs from Matabeleland North and
Matabeleland South, I’m now informed that chiefs from my province, Midlands
have been picked, selected on the basis of tribe. I don’t like that. We in the
Midlands are united, we will not accept to be divided so the chiefs from
Midlands will remain in this indaba but they will not speak because of the
basis in which they have been brought here.”
In his welcome remarks, Chief Charumbira said they were
honoured to sit with the President and discuss critical issues affecting
communities.
He said traditional leaders play an important role in the
development and unity of communities.
“What’s more important is the issue of unity in the
country. As a country, we can’t afford disunity, other countries have paid
highly and when you see the experiences of other countries you see that it is
important that we should work towards unity everywhere you are,” said Chief
Charumbira.
Giving a vote of thanks, chief’s council deputy president
Chief Mtshane Khumalo said the attempt to exclude chief Charumbira was not the
stance of the generality of chiefs from Matabeleland but just one or two
individuals.
He said it would have been a shame had the meeting been
allowed to exclude Chief Charumbira as leader of traditional leaders in the
country.
The meeting was also attended by Provincial Affairs
Ministers for Bulawayo Judith Ncube, Matabeleland North Richard Moyo,
Matabeleland South Abednico Ncube, Midlands Larry Mavima and deputy minister of
Local Government Public Works and National Housing Jennifer Mhlanga.
Since the coming in of the Second Republic, President
Mnangagwa has engaged a number of key sectors in line with his thrust for
collective dialogue towards the development of the country. Chronicle
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