News / National
'Black Jesus' demands to be declared paramount chief
31 Oct 2014 at 06:58hrs | Views
CONTROVERSIAL Masvingo self-styled war veterans' leader, Black Jesus, real name Francis Zimuto, has petitioned Local Government minister Ignatius Chombo, demanding to be declared paramount chief of an area located between Bikita Minerals and Mashava which has been at the centre of a jurisdiction wrangle among 12 local chiefs.
Twelve chiefs namely Marozva, Chiwara, Makore, Chikwanda, Musara, Mugabe, Charumbira, Serima, Zimuto, Ndanga, Bere and Nerupiri, are reportedly fighting for control of the area.
However, some of the chiefs have described Zimuto's demands as "nonsensical", saying the area previously fell under their jurisdiction before they were displaced the white former settler regime of Ian Smith.
In a five-page petition addressed to Chombo, Zimuto, who is from the Zimuto chieftainship clan, claims that there is a chieftainship wrangle and land disputes have erupted because of overlapping boundaries in the formerly white-owned farms.
The petition was copied to Chiefs' Council president Chief Fortune Charumbira, Local Government ministry permanent secretary George Mlilo, Masvingo provincial administrator Felix Chikovo and district administrator James Mazvidza.
"This area has been declared a battle-field and the supremacy of authority on this land has no-one in full control. Each of the 12 chiefs is claiming the authority on this land that stretches approximately 100 kilometres and 60 kilometres width," Zimuto said.
"There is no fairness and wisdom to allow these chiefs to randomly encroach into former white commercial farms now. They should stay put in their area because their subjects and their land are still there," he said.
Zimuto claimed Chombo had been "misinformed" and thus the government "failed to bring sanity in the area and put to rest the issue".
"Honourable Minister, may you stamp authority on these chiefs? None of these chiefs had boundary disputes before 1980 as they were content with the boundaries put in place by the colonialists which kept them in their respective tribal trust lands. The people are requesting you to appoint a seasoned deserving paramount chief in this area immediately," he added.
Zimuto said he was the best candidate to assume control of the area, arguing that he was the pioneer of the land invasions that saw those commercial farmers leaving their farms.
While Charumbira could not be reached for comment, one of the chiefs who declined to named said Zimuto was "daydreaming".
"He is having selective amnesia . . . he should revisit history and check under whose authority that area fell before the whites took the fertile land. That alone should solve the puzzle, not to say because I invaded a farm, therefore I should be rewarded with chieftainship. He has been rewarded enough with the farm he took," said the chief.
Chombo could not be reached to ascertain whether the petition had reached his office, although Zimuto said he had personally handed it in.
Twelve chiefs namely Marozva, Chiwara, Makore, Chikwanda, Musara, Mugabe, Charumbira, Serima, Zimuto, Ndanga, Bere and Nerupiri, are reportedly fighting for control of the area.
However, some of the chiefs have described Zimuto's demands as "nonsensical", saying the area previously fell under their jurisdiction before they were displaced the white former settler regime of Ian Smith.
In a five-page petition addressed to Chombo, Zimuto, who is from the Zimuto chieftainship clan, claims that there is a chieftainship wrangle and land disputes have erupted because of overlapping boundaries in the formerly white-owned farms.
The petition was copied to Chiefs' Council president Chief Fortune Charumbira, Local Government ministry permanent secretary George Mlilo, Masvingo provincial administrator Felix Chikovo and district administrator James Mazvidza.
"This area has been declared a battle-field and the supremacy of authority on this land has no-one in full control. Each of the 12 chiefs is claiming the authority on this land that stretches approximately 100 kilometres and 60 kilometres width," Zimuto said.
"There is no fairness and wisdom to allow these chiefs to randomly encroach into former white commercial farms now. They should stay put in their area because their subjects and their land are still there," he said.
Zimuto claimed Chombo had been "misinformed" and thus the government "failed to bring sanity in the area and put to rest the issue".
"Honourable Minister, may you stamp authority on these chiefs? None of these chiefs had boundary disputes before 1980 as they were content with the boundaries put in place by the colonialists which kept them in their respective tribal trust lands. The people are requesting you to appoint a seasoned deserving paramount chief in this area immediately," he added.
Zimuto said he was the best candidate to assume control of the area, arguing that he was the pioneer of the land invasions that saw those commercial farmers leaving their farms.
While Charumbira could not be reached for comment, one of the chiefs who declined to named said Zimuto was "daydreaming".
"He is having selective amnesia . . . he should revisit history and check under whose authority that area fell before the whites took the fertile land. That alone should solve the puzzle, not to say because I invaded a farm, therefore I should be rewarded with chieftainship. He has been rewarded enough with the farm he took," said the chief.
Chombo could not be reached to ascertain whether the petition had reached his office, although Zimuto said he had personally handed it in.
Source - newsday
