LIVE: Mugabe addresses Chiefs conference in Bulawayo

1449: He thanks traditional leaders for supporting the ruling party and says this should continue to go on.

1446: Mugabe also castigated domestic violence.

1445: He says it's disturbing to note that our culture is getting eroded. Children beating their mothers while fathers are raping their own children.

1439: "I would like to thank you for coming. We made a commitment and we are going to fulfill such. Ndimi mune nhaka yehunhu hwemunyika munosungirwa kuwana rukudzo rwenhaka," says the President.

1434: He says he will consider the chiefs' request to meet more often and says they might start with twice a year.

1433: The President said: "Let's unite and repeat what we did last year. Let's continue to produce for surplus so that we can cater for the export market and let's also think of value addition".

"Some like white farmers were laughing at us but this year takavanyaradza, we shut them up. We want to repeat the same this year. Minister of Agriculture Dr Joseph Made advised me yesterday that we are going to receive heavy rains which shall spell the beginning of the rainy season in two days time," he said

1431: He thanks chiefs for supporting the command agriculture programme which has been a success.

1419: Mugabe says those reengaging whites at farms will have their farms repossessed.

1418: He said: "Those with 1000 hectares and above we will cut them. Let's share equally".

1417: "I would want to know what happened. Some chiefs have been accused of being greed by grabbing everywhere. Hatidi izvozvo. We are very sorry that over the years we had stripped you of your dignity, but through local government we are restoring this through the acquisition of vehicles. It's time that through the Ministry of Lands we sit down and look for farms for the chiefs who do not have farms," says the President.

1416: President Mugabe says he was shocked to learn that some chiefs have no farms and yet they were supposed to be at the front of land distribution.

1413: "We fought the whites off land and now they are coming back with equipment partnering some farmers. We say no thus selling out. We are aware that some got farms but have no capacity or are not willing to use them we don't want that," he said.

1412: Mugabe says the land is sacred and as such should never be tempered with as it is the inheritance of future generations.

1410: He says the government had to rectify some colonial decisions to strip legitimate chiefs off their throne as this was part of the reasons why liberation fighters went to war.

1405: The President says he understands the chiefs' grievances well.

1404: He says fights over boundaries have always been there since time immemorial and as such let's learn to solve our problems amicably.

1358: "Customs don't recede they have a habit of permanence. Saka tsika dzedu hadziori," he said.

1356: The President says chiefs are born leaders whereas politicians are chosen by the people in a tenure that expires. Traditions don't expire.

1353: "We were groomed from the traditions of the likes of Mbuya Nehanda and Mzilikazi. Our culture is the same whether Shona or Ndebele, we all value our traditional beliefs," he said.

1349: President Mugabe says the traditional leaders are the owners of the land and the liberation struggle was fought to achieve self rule.

1348: He starts by thanking the traditional leaders for inviting him to the conference.

1347: President Mugabe now on podium to give his speech.

1345: He says his ministry will soon be looking at chiefs' housing issues for their assistance in the voter registration exercise as he concludes his presentation by inviting President Mugabe to the podium.

1344: Kasukuwere thanked traditional leaders for pledging support to ZANU-PF.

1343: He says the chiefs will get the vehicles in two weeks time.

1342: Minister Kasukuwere thanks the President Robert Mugabe for restoring the chiefs' dignity by procuring vehicles.

1341: He says ministers will be having provincial meetings with traditional leaders to understand their problems soon.

1338: Minister of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing, Saviour Kasukuwere takes to the podium for his remarks.

1334: He concludes his speech and leaves the podium.

1333: "Our presidential candidate for 2018 is none other than President Robert Mugabe," says Chief Charumbira.

1329: He said: "We have hope that disunity within the party will end as we go to elections. Don't recruit chiefs in factional politics we don't want that".

1324: He added that the issue that chiefs shall not get involved in politics does not hold water.

1323: Chief Charimbira says the chiefs were the drivers of the war of liberation and ZANU-PF is Zimbabwe therefore the two cannot be separated.

"As chiefs we support ZANU-PF because we formed it," he said.

1321: The Chiefs Council president takes a swipe at NGOs for promoting immortality through supporting acts such as homosexuality.

1320: He says government is simply fulfilling its constitutional mandate adding that chiefs are there to represent the national interests.

1319: Chief Charumbira castigates some sections of the society who are saying the acquisition of the vehicle is a political gimmick.

1318: He says he is happy since the government promised that by Christmas they will be driving.

1317: Chief Charumbira says their status has been battered as they were now passengers in buses.

1316: He said this leadership was also cemented in the constitution where traditional leaders should be recognised.

"Your Excellency our leadership was ordained from God," he said.

1315: Chief Charumbira says the rains are a sign that traditional leaders are happy after government bought them vehicles.

1314: The Chiefs Council president also hailed the government for consistently paying traditional leaders on time.

1313: He however calls for government to relook at the 2016 May arrears that traditional leaders are yet to get.

1312: The Chiefs Council president also hailed the government for consistently paying traditional leaders on time.

1311: Chief Charumbira applauds government for accommodating chiefs in parliament who are now 18 and for availing monthly allowances of $25.

1310: He however calls for an increase of such allowances.

1309: He says the agreement suffered a blow following the formation of the inclusive government as Then Finance Minister Tendai Biti was not forthcoming.

1306: Chief Charumbira takes the conference through the history of availing of cars that was supposed to be done after every five years since 2004.

"Thanks to the government for availing vehicles for chiefs," he said.

1305: The Chiefs Council president applauds government's decision to retain their portfolio to the Ministry of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing.

1303: He castigates the dissolved Ministry of Rural Affairs for failing to recognise the importance of chiefs by failing to convene a single conference for chiefs for three years running.

1302: President of the Chiefs Council, Chief Fortune Charumbira takes to the podium.

1301: She concludes her address.

1300: She says the province has managed to take care of chieftaincy wrangles singling out Chief Honondo wrangle in Bubi.

1258: Mathuthu calls for the speedy finalisation of the Zambezi water project to end water woes in the region

1257: She urges investors to take advantage of the rich mineral deposits like methane gas and minerals in the province

1256: Matabeleland North Minister of State for Presidential Affairs, Thokozile Mathuthu gives introductory remarks.