Some traditional leaders are allegedly exploiting vulnerable villagers by demanding hefty fees for permission to hold social gatherings, including funerals, The Standard has established.
In Masvingo some chiefs are demanding fees of up to US$30 for social events such as erecting tombstones, or digging a grave for every deceased person.
Some are demanding fees for hosting weddings, drilling boreholes, laying bricks, and building new homes, among others.
Villagers who cannot afford to pay face fines of up to $200, documents in possession of The Standard show.
According to information obtained by The Standard, some villagers have been deprived of government handouts such as food aid and presidential inputs as punishment for refusing to pay the fees to the chiefs.
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Yesterday, several villagers appeared before Chief Mukanganwi, born Munyaradzi Chapwanya in Bikita facing charges of failing to obtain permission before erecting tombstones for their deceased relatives.
The chief’s court was packed with villagers who had allegedly neglected to notify him of their plans.
One of the chief’s summons for the offence which was seen by The Standard reads: “You are being summoned to the local court on August 24, 2024 to answer to allegations that you erected tombstones in your village, utilising the soils of the land without the knowledge of the chief.
“If you do not appear on the date shown or have not obtained the court’s permission to be absent, judgement may be given in favour of the plaintiff.”
Chief Mukanganwi told The Standard that the fines were above board.
“The notice fees for funerals and erection of tombstones is just US$10.” he said. “If they fail to comply they pay fines of up to US$50 that is a goat plus US$20.
“Whoever says otherwise must produce evidence.
“It’s according to tradition because we noted that some people were conducting rituals during those gatherings so the fee is for the chief’s agents to travel and monitor those events.”
He later blamed one headman Mupakwa under his jurisdiction where he said the practice was most prevalent.
Villagers who contacted The Standard said they had made an attempt to dialogue with the chiefs, including local government authorities to resolve the matter to no avail.
Bikita district development coordinator Bernard Hadzirabwi said the traditional leaders could be taking advantage of the fact that the government has not gazetted fines that can be charged by chiefs.
“The fines are according to tradition because you can’t just notify the chief with word of mouth, he requires a small token,” Hadzirabwi said.
“But the challenge is, it’s quite long since government has informed us of the prescribed charges of traditional court fines.
“So it forced individual chiefs to peg the fines anyhow. But we encourage them to be considerate.
“However when the chief demands that notification fee, sometimes they send it back to the deceased’s family as bereavement.”
