By Titos Makondo
THE crusade by the Second Republic led by President Emmerson Mnangagwa, to honor and return the powers to the traditional leaders now gathers steam.
In Chiredzi South, the capital home of the Hlengwe people, Bensen Gezani and Hanyani Zava have been officially installed as chiefs. This happened towards the general elections which took place on 23 August, 2023.
While in the same line for the same cause, the heart of Chiredzi South Constituency is about to beat quicker, as another chief corronation weighs down in sparkles.
The reality gossips has it that Ben Chilonga is set to be officially installed as Chief Chilonga on 30 October, 2023. This will transpire at the chief’s homestead in Chilonga, Chiredzi DA Lovemore Chisema has confirmed.
In a chat with The Chiredzi Scrivener, Chiredzi Rural District Council (CDRC) CEO Ailess Baloyi described this reinstallation of the Hlengwe chiefs as a source of empowerment to the chiefs and their people.
Hon Baloyi said for years the majority of the Tsonga/ Hlengwe people have been lobbying for more chiefs of their own given that other jurisdictions have had the privilege of more chiefs over comparatively small size.
“Such growth may benefit us with more voices at the provincial and national levels, increased chance of greater participation in both Chiefs Council and Parliament as our pool is enlarged and citizens will be represented as localities with homogeneity,” Baloyi outlined.
Chiredzi South MP Joel Sithole said geographically, our constituency is the biggest in the country, hence it’s worthwhile to have a quite number of chiefs.
To some disgruntled locals over the government’s lucern scheme which is set to be executed in Chilonga by storm, the question remains: is it a good move to the minority Hlengwe people or it’s just a hidden agenda?
One Chilonga villager who asked to remain Anonymous lambasted saying this move is ZANU PF’s plan to appoint chiefs for ED to push for the party’s agendas, the lurcern project being one of them.
It is said that the inaugurations will continue even after elections, as the government’s endeavor to honor and return authority to the traditional leaders.
With that in scoop, a couple of local headmen, Masivamele and Ngwenyeni, have their thumps up waiting for their names to be called. The two assume that they have all what it takes to be crowned as chiefs.
However, according to the Chiefs Council, governed by the constitution of Zimbabwe, traditional leaders are put into position by the government of Zimbabwe to work with people. Unlike a political leader, a chief is not elected into office by a popular vote, but through lineage and is thus in office for life.
