Nkosentsha Khumalo
Despite multiple pleas to the Government which date back ten years, the National Chiefs Council’s (NCC’s) decade long wait for offices at both National and Provincial levels has finally seen some glimpse of hope, but yet a bittersweet victory.
After 10 years, the government has finally, in 2024, identified a national office in Harare for the Chiefs’ Council, but this solitary office falls short of meeting the Chiefs’ Council’s needs.
While the country has 10 provinces, with each requiring provincial offices, the absence of these offices especially at Provincial levels undermines the effectiveness of the Chiefs Council.
The President of the National Chiefs Council, Chief Mtshane Khumalo, hails from Bubi District in Matabeleland North province. Failure to allocate offices at least in Matabeleland only serves to accentuate the absurdity of the current situation, and yet he is expected to extensively journey to Harare each time he needs to attend to official duties.
This is deemed to be both impractical and insulting to him and the whole NCC.
The absence of offices in all provinces will not only inconvenience the Chiefs Council, but will further prevent it from effectively carrying out its mandate of representing and advocating for the interests of traditional leaders across the country.
One can begin to ponder about the government’s relationship and commitment of rallying behind traditional leaders and the communities they serve.
The lack of provincial offices hampers the Council’s ability to perform its cultural, customary, and traditional functions, as outlined in Chapter 15 of Zimbabwe’s Constitution.
Chief Mtshane’s installation which was presided over by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) in 2023 coincided with the government’s mandate for chiefs to lead Gukurahundi disturbances hearings, which focuses mainly on the nation’s spiritual healing.
Chief Lucas Mtshane Khumalo and the NCC former President, Fortune Charumbira have for long been facing monumental challenges.
Not only are they tasked with leading spiritual healing efforts and spearheading the Gukurahundi disturbances hearings, but they have also had to navigate and carry out these duties without proper infrastructure.
For over 10 years, the National Chiefs Council has had no offices at both national and provincial levels, which continues to hinder their ability to effectively serve their communities.
Lack of infrastructure is particularly concerning, given the role traditional leaders are playing in the country’s communities.
Currently, they are spearheading the Gukurahundi disturbances hearings and yet the victims have to narrate their horrific experiences in unsafe spaces, the Chiefs’ homes which apparently are the only offices.
Chiefs are responsible for promoting cultural values, facilitating development, and resolving disputes. The absence of dedicated offices likely exacerbates these challenges.
The NCC is facing serious funding challenges that threaten to cripple its activities and programs.
This issue took centre stage during the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works Strategic Planning Workshop held recently in Bulawayo, where Chief Mtshane Khumalo, the council’s President, voiced his concerns.
Chief Khumalo talked of the urgent need for consistent government funding to support the council’s operations.
He also mentioned the issue of lack of Provincial Assemblies and National Chiefs Council Offices, as well as a secretariat, at both national and provincial levels.
This infrastructure deficit, Chief Mtshane feels severely hampers the council’s ability to effectively serve its communities.
Chief Mtshane Khumalo expressed relief that Minister of Local Government and Public Works, Hon D. Garwe, has identified offices for the National Chiefs Council in Harare, but was disappointed that it took over 10 years.
He pleaded for the establishment of Chiefs Offices at all Provincial levels, hoping the process will not take a further 10 years to materialise.
“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.
“I’m 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, “said Mtshane.
Chief Mtshane commended Minister Garwe for pushing to amend the Traditional Leaders Act, which has been pending since 2013.
He raised concerns about its absence in the President’s Parliamentary address and alignment with the Constitution.
Traditional leaders are pushing changes to improve their effectiveness and community impact such as including the emplacement and resuscitation of resettlement areas under traditional leaders’ authority, based on historical evidence and community needs.
Chief Mtshane stressed the importance of transferring land allocation decision making from a provisional business coordinator-led committee to traditional leaders, as per Section 29 of the Traditional Leaders Act.
He also lobbied for the need for vehicle security, including number plates and insurance, as well as allowance review to sustain vehicle maintenance costs, which currently exceed traditional leaders’ allowances.
Chief Mtshane advocated for capacity development to enhance traditional leadership institutions and establishment of Lower-Tier Structures in districts to improve governance.
The fact that the NCC is not privy to all these needs, clearly suggests that there is more at play, where the government is looting the funds. By also establishing one office in Harare, the government seeks to leverage it’s proximity to the Chiefs so as to manipulate their ideas.
During an interview with Effie Ncube, a Political Commentator, he poured out his views stating that there are officials who want to maintain control over chiefs.
“The failure to allocate offices to the National Council of Chiefs amounts to Constitutional delinquency and a serious dereliction of duty. It constitutes clear disregard of the supreme law of the land and of the status of such a key institution to our Ubuntu/Hunhu.
“I think the key challenge is that there are some officials who view chiefs from a colonial mindset when they were servants of the natives commissioner expected to run political errands for the colonial government. This is sad and contrary to our ethos. The liberation struggle was fought on the basis of getting back our dignity and that dignity is seen through the way we view and treat our traditional leaders.”
“Our constitution gives the chiefs the dignity and independence they require. It is time we lived up to the spirit of our constitutional values. Having an independent chiefs office is not only an act of respect for the institution but also adherence to the rule of law upon which this republic is founded. By now the Chiefs should be having offices in all provinces as part of enabling them to discharge their constitutional mandate,” said Ncube.
It is very interesting how all main offices of government entities are located in Harare.
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