Nkosentsha Khumalo
Brunette Tshuma
The National Chiefs Council’s funding woes emerged as a major concern during the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works Strategic Planning Workshop held in Bulawayo.
The workshop, which is still currently ongoing at a local hotel, has revealed that a lack of consistent government funding has crippled the Chiefs Council’s activities and programs.
The Ministry strategic review workshop happens following the holding of a National Council of Chiefs meeting on the 24th of October 2024 with provincial assemblies’ representatives to enlist their views.
The strategic expectations for the Council of Chiefs for 2025 are therefore crafted in a manner that is meant to promote effective deployment of resources into areas of great strategic intent and to comply with the National Development Strategy (NDS1’s) National Priorities so as to ensure that the Council of Chiefs contribution is holistic and effective towards the attainment of an Upper Middle-Income Economy by 2030.
The Council of Chiefs expects to leverage on the whole of government approach in its quest to attain the set ot strategic expectations.
Amongst the many concerns that Chief Mtshane Khumalo, the President of the National Chiefs Council raised during the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works Strategic Planning Workshop was the establishment of Provincial Assemblies and National Chiefs Council Offices offices and Secretariat on both national and provincial levels.
“I think the Minister of Local Government and Public Works, Hon D. Garwe had already stated that the offices for the National Chiefs Council have already been identified in Harare. All that is left for us, is just to visit those sites and see how suitable they are to the Chiefs’ Council.
“Im however disappointed as it has taken us more than 10 years to be assured of those offices. I only pray that you go ahead by establishing offices at provincial levels. And I have confidence that we are not going to take another long period of 10 years to be allocated those offices.”
On the alignment of the Traditional Leaders Act, Chief Mtshane commended Minister Garwe for putting it on board as part of the acts that stand to be amended on this year’s Parliament session, after a very long period of time.
“Of course, we’re also raising an issue that it has been there for years, but suddenly it doesn’t appear in the address by His Excellency, the President in his address to Parliament this session.
The NCC while announcing a comprehensive activity calendar for 2025, laid out a detailed plan for selection meetings, provincial assembly meetings, NCC meetings, and their Annual Chiefs Conference.
These events will move to provide a platform for Chiefs and Traditional leaders to deliberate on critical issues, review past activities, and plan for future initiatives to enhance the socio-economic development of their communities.
The plan, as presented by Chief Mtshane Khumalo, seeks to maintain an active and robust engagement with the government and stakeholders in pursuit of its mandate.
The Chief amongst many other plans mentioned the alignment of the Traditional Leaders Act to the Constitution.
Chief Mtshane also raised the issue of emplacement, resuscitation or creation of resettlement areas under the authority of Traditional Leaders based on the parameters of adequate archival evidence (Prior existence of the chieftainship), community and administrative needs to be satisfied and the existing chiefs to be consulted.
“Again, I think there are only about 12 Chiefs who have been given that authority or whose authority has been gazetted. And there are several more that are still waiting for the gazetting of the authority of Traditional Leaders under the authority of the Chief. “
“As things stand now, there is a committee that is chaired by the provisional business coordinator that determines the land allocation in this segment area. We feel very strongly that this is not the case. In this segment area, it must fall under the authority of the Chief in response to the section that I have already alluded to, Section 29 of the Traditional Leaders Act.”
Other perimeters include existence of land to be administered (land availability), servicing of traditional leaders’ vehicles on quarterly basis, review of traditional leaders’ allowances.
He pleaded for vehicle security such as number plates and Insurance
establishment of lower tier structures in all districts, Village Development Committees (VIDCOs) and Ward Development Committees (WADCOs.)
“We have other services that the ministry renders to Traditional Leaders, like servicing Traditional Leaders’ vehicles on a quarterly basis. Although this has not taken place because of lack of funding, and we pray that in the next year or so, funds will be available because the initial allowances the Chiefs are earning are not able to sustain the services of their vehicles.
“It’s not easy to maintain a Toyota Fortuner. It costs you a fortune. When you maintain a Fortuner you don’t pay anything less than six or seven hundred U.S. dollars each time you service it.
“But the Chiefs don’t even get a quarter of that amount. We are also very excited about the establishment of a lower-charge structure in all districts,” Said Mtshane.
He further mentioned the capacity development of traditional leadership institutions.
Chief Mtshane passionately addressed the government funding crisis, the disruption of statutory meetings due to the non availability of funds, the challenges of appointment appeals, and the lack of payments for traditional chiefs’ subsistence and travel allowances.
The Chief particularly emphasized the impact of late and insufficient funding, hindering the National Chiefs Council’s ability to carry out its activities and programs. He mentioned the lack of Provincial Assembly meetings and the inadequate funding for the IPOT, stressing the need for additional measures to address these issues.
“Honorable Minister Garwe, I am aware that the Chiefs and headmen are earning their allowances through the banks, similar to other civil servants. We hope that all village heads are receiving their small allowances through the bank, rather than queuing at their district coordinators’ offices.
“I am pleased about the capacity development towards traditional retail vehicles. However, there are challenges, especially with the late allocation of funds to our institution, like many other ministries. I have listened to the concerns raised by several ministries during the past few days, all lamenting about the inadequate and untimely allocation of resources.”
“I wish to emphasize that even when resources are allocated, they are often insufficient to sustain the initiatives proposed in the year 2025. I sincerely pray that the Ministry of Finance will prioritize the provision of adequate funding to address these issues in the future.”
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