News / National
Chiefs want direct access to Mugabe
15 Sep 2014 at 06:29hrs | Views
THE President of the Zimbabwe Council of Chiefs, Chief Fortune Charumbira, has said almost all Zanu-PF leaders are obsessed with succession politics, a diversion that compromises their reliability.
Addressing chiefs at their annual conference held at the Midlands Conference Centre in Gweru last week, he said traditional leaders were more patriotic and reliable than top Zanu-PF officials, as well as ministers. He said the country can only prosper if chiefs regain their respect and are allowed more time to interact with the President.
"It should be known that as Zimbabweans we are very proud of your leadership," he said.
"We don't wish for another President because we have an excellent President in you. President, 90 percent of people who come to you are involved in games of succession but as chiefs we are far divorced from that. The country can only prosper if we are allowed more time to meet and interact with you. President, we propose that you meet the chiefs council bi-annually.
"The annual conference where you meet with every chief in the country should continue as it is. Then, at least quarterly, once in three months, you invite the president of the chiefs council and his deputy for tea, as you engage us and get to know the real situation out there. This helps the country and us traditional leaders to carry out our duties better."
Chief Charumbira told President Mugabe that most top officials presented negative reports about chiefs, hence their desire to have direct access to him. He said chiefs are always on the ground as they live and work with the majority of people.
"They (politicians) tell you about how chiefs have resettled whites in resettlement areas, that some are driving without a driver's licence and that a certain chief hit a cow and took the meat. But they don't tell you that chiefs have gone for four years without an increment in allowance, six years without receiving cars and they are now pedestrians. These officials don't tell you all this save for negative reports. So we are saying allow us to come to you and tell you our own story for the good of the country," said Chief Charumbira.
He said the only person in Zanu-PF who genuinely loved chiefs was President Mugabe.
"Zanu-PF leaders hate us," said the traditional leader. "We wish you many more years because you love us. You are the only person who gave us cars in 2004. We were expecting new cars in 2009 but that failed to materialise because of the inclusive government and (former Finance Minister, Tendai) Biti.
"Biti was impossible for five years. Now we kicked him out with our vote, things are now fine.
We assume (Patrick) Chinamasa is not another Biti, he should not be like Biti. He should come and give us the things that Biti was denying us."
He complained that MPs were always given things ahead of chiefs. He also appealed for their powers to be extended for them to control resettlement areas.
"The land reform came but chiefs who are the owners of the land were excluded," he said.
"Chiefs were always told to apply until the farms ran out. They (party officials) were allocating land among themselves. This needs to be corrected, Your Excellency. Chief Kasekete of Muzarabani was given a farm and the offer letter but it mysteriously disappeared in the office. Minister of State, Martin Dinha wrote a letter ordering that the chief be given his offer letter but up today nothing has happened. The white commercial farmer is still there when the chief has no land for farming. We cannot allow that. President, you once said there were chiefs who lease farms and working with whites. I think I had two such chiefs four years ago like Chief Chipuriro. I went and engaged them and today I can confirm that we do not have even a single chief doing this."
He assured President Mugabe of chiefs' support in the implementation of Zim-Asset.
Chief Charumbira appealed to President Mugabe to empower chiefs in districts that did not have commercial farms like Binga and Kariba. He said they should be given fishing permits as a way of empowering them.
"Chiefs are with you Cde President. Give us back control of land – we are the owners of the land – so that we can do our work. You will see that the destruction of forests and wildlife which the tourism authority is always complaining about will end. President we appeal to you to work with the chiefs because they are the only ones who are not engaged in succession issues. We are not concerned with succession," said the chief.
Addressing chiefs at their annual conference held at the Midlands Conference Centre in Gweru last week, he said traditional leaders were more patriotic and reliable than top Zanu-PF officials, as well as ministers. He said the country can only prosper if chiefs regain their respect and are allowed more time to interact with the President.
"It should be known that as Zimbabweans we are very proud of your leadership," he said.
"We don't wish for another President because we have an excellent President in you. President, 90 percent of people who come to you are involved in games of succession but as chiefs we are far divorced from that. The country can only prosper if we are allowed more time to meet and interact with you. President, we propose that you meet the chiefs council bi-annually.
"The annual conference where you meet with every chief in the country should continue as it is. Then, at least quarterly, once in three months, you invite the president of the chiefs council and his deputy for tea, as you engage us and get to know the real situation out there. This helps the country and us traditional leaders to carry out our duties better."
Chief Charumbira told President Mugabe that most top officials presented negative reports about chiefs, hence their desire to have direct access to him. He said chiefs are always on the ground as they live and work with the majority of people.
"They (politicians) tell you about how chiefs have resettled whites in resettlement areas, that some are driving without a driver's licence and that a certain chief hit a cow and took the meat. But they don't tell you that chiefs have gone for four years without an increment in allowance, six years without receiving cars and they are now pedestrians. These officials don't tell you all this save for negative reports. So we are saying allow us to come to you and tell you our own story for the good of the country," said Chief Charumbira.
He said the only person in Zanu-PF who genuinely loved chiefs was President Mugabe.
"Biti was impossible for five years. Now we kicked him out with our vote, things are now fine.
We assume (Patrick) Chinamasa is not another Biti, he should not be like Biti. He should come and give us the things that Biti was denying us."
He complained that MPs were always given things ahead of chiefs. He also appealed for their powers to be extended for them to control resettlement areas.
"The land reform came but chiefs who are the owners of the land were excluded," he said.
"Chiefs were always told to apply until the farms ran out. They (party officials) were allocating land among themselves. This needs to be corrected, Your Excellency. Chief Kasekete of Muzarabani was given a farm and the offer letter but it mysteriously disappeared in the office. Minister of State, Martin Dinha wrote a letter ordering that the chief be given his offer letter but up today nothing has happened. The white commercial farmer is still there when the chief has no land for farming. We cannot allow that. President, you once said there were chiefs who lease farms and working with whites. I think I had two such chiefs four years ago like Chief Chipuriro. I went and engaged them and today I can confirm that we do not have even a single chief doing this."
He assured President Mugabe of chiefs' support in the implementation of Zim-Asset.
Chief Charumbira appealed to President Mugabe to empower chiefs in districts that did not have commercial farms like Binga and Kariba. He said they should be given fishing permits as a way of empowering them.
"Chiefs are with you Cde President. Give us back control of land – we are the owners of the land – so that we can do our work. You will see that the destruction of forests and wildlife which the tourism authority is always complaining about will end. President we appeal to you to work with the chiefs because they are the only ones who are not engaged in succession issues. We are not concerned with succession," said the chief.
Source - chronicle
