Kalanga lobby group to produce textbooks

A lobby group has pledged to spearhead the production of Kalanga textbooks to ensure that there is enough material to facilitate the teaching of the language in schools.

Lubahhe, a group made up of elders from the Kalanga community predominantly found in Matabeleland, wants the language to be taught in all areas where there are Kalanga-speaking people.

Sengenedzi Moyo, the Lubahhe chairperson, said the Kalanga language was under threat because of lack of education material.

"I went to the Ministry of Education to inquire about the teaching of Kalanga and they told me that it was being taught at university level," he said.

"However, children at primary school level are not learning the language because of shortage of books.

"We have killed our culture and language."

The elders also resolved to lobby the government to restore Kalanga chieftainships that were dissolved by the colonial regime. Most areas in the Kalanga-speaking areas have Ndebele chiefs.

The affected chieftainships are the Hikwa, Manguba, Hinkwe, Chingababili and Habe clans who were demoted to headmen.