Traditional leaders have been challenged to provide a conducive environment for all political players ahead of this year’s elections.
By Kennedy Nyavaya
Speaking at the installation of Shepherd Chengeta as the ninth Chief Makumbe of Buhera on behalf of Local Government minister July Moyo recently, the director for traditional leadership support services, Felix Chikovo, said traditional leaders would play an integral role in ensuring the elections are held in a free and fair environment.
“The President (Emmerson Mnangagwa) has said we should have peaceful, credible elections and the chiefs are his eyes and ears on this matter, so we encourage them to take that same message to go to the communities,” Chikovo said at the event held in Ngundu village.
“The coming in of a king is so that the governance of the area is at harmony and for the place to develop, so it is a great thing worldwide to also safeguard our local values.”
His comments come after Mashonaland East Chief Musarurwa was quoted last month saying traditional leaders would not allow anyone without liberation war credentials to rule Zimbabwe, a jibe reportedly directed at the opposition.
In his acceptance speech, the new chief pledged to keep his area in harmony.
“Any subject that commits a crime whether commercial, criminal and so on within my area of jurisdiction I will liaise with the other judicial arms of the government and get the perpetrators of such crimes to book,” Chengeta said, pledging to use his educational background as an engineer to bring development.
