LOCAL Government and Public Works minister Daniel Garwe has warned traditional leaders against selling land.
Garwe made the remarks at the installation of Chief Hozheri, born Caiphus Chikwata, on Friday last week.
“In Zimbabwe, chiefs should follow the Customary Law and Local Courts Act, Communal Lands Act and the Constitution of the country. The new chief should ensure that land is preserved, no land should be sold through sabhuku deals,” he said.
“The chief should help in preserving our heritage and culture. People tend to copy other people’s cultures, ours is Zimbabwean culture so it needs to be preserved for the coming generations.”
Chikwata of the Nyathi totem succeeded Rabson Mudzingwa (89) who was appointed substantive Chief following the death of his father, Gochomu Jokoniya Mudzingwa, in 2018 at the age of 101 years.
Garwe promised Chief Hozheri a vehicle and cellphone to help in communicating with other traditional leaders as well as a solar-powered borehole and a nutritional garden at his homestead.
Chief’s Council of Zimbabwe president Chief Mtshane Khumalo said the new position was a challenge to the traditional leader.
“The new position requires you [Chief Hozheri] to work together with the village heads and headmen to come up with ideas that are favourable to everyone,” he said.
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Speaking to NewsDay on the sidelines of the ceremony Sanyati MP Polite Kambamura said a gap had been closed in his constituency.
“As a Member of Parliament, I fall under chiefs because they are the ones who live close with the people we lead.
“We had a gap in Sanyati and it has been closed today and the number of people that have attended this ceremony shows that people have accepted him," he said.
Chief Hozheri, who was a fisherman, pledged to be a listening leader to his subjects.
Chikwata is the seventh Chief Hozheri taking over from the previous leaders namely Matorera, Munyaka, Ndaba, Chikwava and Mudzingwa.
The ceremony was attended by Chief Ngezi and Chief Neuswa among other traditional leaders from the Mashonaland West province.
