Chief's wives gallivant at Cecil John Rhodes grave on tax payer's expense

While Zimbabwe's traditional chiefs were demanding diplomatic passports, guns and top up to their monthly $300, their wives were on a sightseeing government sponsored excursion to Matopo National Park and Cecil John Rhodes grave was the main attraction.

 The husbands remained in Bulawayo for their Annual conference which opened yesterday.

Officials said there was nothing wrong with the trip as it was for them to appreciate the history of Zimbabwe.

"As chiefs wives, they have to know some of these places and link them with the historical challenges faced by their husbands' said the president of the chiefs council, Chief Fortune Charumbira to journalist.

Chiefs are booked at Rainbow Hotel with their spouses. Today, some of them would be dispatch to Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo International Airport to welcome President Mugabe. Chiefs yesterday endorsed Mugabe as Zanu-PF presidential candidate.

Four hired buses took the wives to the Matopos under heavy police protection. They had packed lunch.

 Cecil John Rhodes grave, which 50 Zanla war veterans threatened to exhume was the main attraction.

 The war veterans expressed their anger that the body is being allowed to remain in the country.

Rhodes' grave consists of a granite tomb and simple brass plaque and resides in the Matopos National Park, a state-owned reserve south-east of Bulawayo.

The area is popular with tourists, who generally like to visit the gravesite of the famous man. Rhodes was buried there in 1902 after dying of heart failure.