Bulawayo (New Ziana)-President Emmerson Mnangagwa on Wednesday urged traditional leaders to preach the gospel of peace, unity and harmony in their communities as the nation heads towards harmonised elections later this year.
He made the clarion call when he officially opened the National Chief`s Council meeting at the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF) Exhibition Centre in Bulawayo.
The two-day conference was held under the theme “Firm Cultural Foundation For Community Development”.
President Mnangagwa said traditional leaders played a critical role in fostering peace, love, and harmony in communities under their jurisdiction.
“We want peace, unity and harmony in our communities,” he said.
“Our communities are predominantly under traditional leaders. If we look at our population which is 15 to 16 million, something like 10 million live in the countryside under traditional leaders. The other 5 or 6 million is in urban areas.”
He said traditional leaders also had a role to defend the country`s heritage, identity, and respect of the African person by ensuring that people vote for the revolutionary party ZANU PF in the harmonised elections.
President Mnangagwa said the Second Republic had a philosophy to befriend all the countries across the world which also respect the country`s sovereignty.
“Under the Second Republic we have a philosophy which we follow of being “friends to all and enemy to none” but those who chose to be our enemy its none of our business. Let them hate us from where they are but when they come here, they do what we want,” he said.
Meanwhile the traditional leaders took the opportunity to air their grievances to President Mnangagwa.
Some of grievances included the allocation of vehicles to headmen, construction of traditional leaders’ courts, review of monthly allowances and exemption from toll fees.
New Ziana
