Chiefs, councilors urged to curb poverty

Masvingo (Masvingo Star-New Ziana) – Traditional leaders and local councilors in Masvingo Province have been urged to forge a united front to ensure effective implementation of poverty alleviation projects being funded with devolution funds in their areas.

Speaking recently at an annual Traditional Leaders’ Day organised by the Zimbabwe Defence Forces’ 4 Brigade Headquarters with assistance from seed companies, SeedCo and Agriseeds, Masvingo Minister of State for Provincial Affairs, Ezra Chadzamira urged the community leaders to ensure accountability of the devolution grants of which Masvingo has received $11 million.

Part of the funds have been used on rehabilitation of the Chibi-Mhandambwe road, whose contractor the minister applauded for a good job.

Accountability, said Chadzamira, would help the government to eradicate poverty and corruption and improve infrastructure while maintaining a trajectory towards the achievement of Vision 2030.

He also urged the community leaders to be consultative in carrying out their mandates as these are important in improving the livelihood of the people while helping with checks and balances between the people at the grassroots and the rural councils.

“Hierarchical relationships are a cornerstone towards development as they will enable constitutional checks and prevent division which will slow down provincial development,” said Chadzamira, adding that the traditional leaders should make sure that laws are strictly observed, citing instances of stream bank cultivation.

He said the government had made available inputs under the Presidential Inputs Scheme and the Command Agriculture programme in a bid to improve food self-sufficiency in the country.

Speaking at the same occasion, the ZDF Inspector General, Major-General Kasirai Tizira urged the 34 traditional leaders in attendance to play crucial roles in helping preserve the country’s cultural values by safeguarding indigenous norms and cultural practices of their communities.

“We have to protect our children against cultural invasion as our children are being taught foreign cultures through televisions, as a result adopting even politics ending up flooding the streets, as chiefs you have to avert those tendencies before they spread as you are the most respected people in your areas,” said Maj-Gen Tizira.

Chairperson of provincial Chiefs’ Council, Chief Feleni Chitanga hailed the interaction between the chiefs and the army.

“I am so glad with the interactions to ensure cultural beliefs are upheld in the province, we have learnt a lot and we are going to apply what we have learnt in our respective areas to ensure peace and the preservation of our culture and cultural heritage such as Great Zimbabwe,” he said.

Each of the 34 chiefs was presented with 10kg maize seed, 5kg packets of certified sorghum seeds and a food hamper from the seed companies and 25kg rice from the Minister of State for Masvingo Province’s office.

Masvingo Star-New Ziana