The Sunday Mail
The parking lot at Just-In-Time Farm, about 10km west of Chivhu in Mashonaland East, was on October 17 grossly oversubscribed.
Some of the people there had driven from such faraway places as Chipinge, Mutoko, Masvingo and Hwange.
Not to be outdone, locals came in droves as they celebrated 20 years since their traditional leader, Chief Mutekedza (Mr Andrew Zhakata), had been appointed chief.
Although the anniversary celebrations were held amid pomp and fanfare, the traditional leaders expressed concern regarding their relevance in today’s society.
In a society that is governed by modern courts, traditional leaders are increasingly struggling to assert their authority.
Traditional leaders are losing their influence in rural communities, where they were once the centre of local tradition and culture.
Among some of traditional leaders’ responsibilities is to maintain peace and manage natural resources.
This places them at the core of rural development.
The majority of traditional leaders at Just-In-Time Farm expressed alarm at the rate at which their roles and duties were diminishing.
Chief Musarurwa (Mr Enos Masakwa), the Mashonaland East provincial chairman for chiefs, said Roman-Dutch law had made traditional courts largely irrelevant.
“As traditional leaders, the introduction of such foreign laws as Roman and Dutch laws means that there are certain cases that we cannot preside over. Such laws have greatly eroded our cultural values and I am afraid to say that we no-longer have any meaningful powers,” Chief Musarurwa said.
Chief Musarurwa cited, as an example, the case in which one is convicted of murder and serves jail time.
According to Chief Musarurwa, once the convicted person is released from jail, that person must be compelled by traditional leaders to compensate the surviving family to avoid avenging spirits.
Chief Nyamukoho (Mr Samson Katsande) added: “Our magistrates are not trained to tackle cases that have traditional elements. Instead, they are taught foreign laws that are largely irrelevant.”
The Traditional Leadership Act states that traditional leaders cannot distribute land but can only make recommendations to rural district councils, a process they say further diminishes their roles.
The Act also provides for the appointment and functions of chiefs, provincial assemblies of chiefs, headmen, village heads, village assemblies, ward assemblies and development committees.
Although the roles that both councils and traditional leaders play are clearly stated in the Act, disputes between chiefs and councils are frequent.
Chief Musarurwa (right) hands over seed maize to Mr Joseph Hwata, a disabled member of the community. Looking on are chiefs Mutekedza (left), Nyamukoho (partly obscured) and Chikwizo (far right).
Chief Chapoto (Mr Enock Peter Chapoto) said rural district councils are supposed to consult traditional leaders when setting boundaries and allocating land.
But, he noted, councils rarely consulted chiefs in this regard.
In recent years, disputes over boundaries involving traditional leaders and rural councils have been on the increase. A case in point is Dema Growth Point in Chitungwiza, where disputes arose over boundaries separating urban and rural land.
Chikomba district administrator Mr Clemence Masawi stressed the importance of traditional leaders.
“Traditional leaders are an extension of Local Government. As you might be aware, village heads chairs Village Development Committees. They also have seats in Ward Development Committees. We cannot separate traditional leadership from Government,” Mr Masawi said.
Bishop Jameson Chirwa, of the Zvapupu ZvaJesu Apostolic Church called on Government to restore some of the powers traditional leaders used to have.
“Just like church and Government officials, traditional leaders were anointed and appointed by God. The way that traditional leaders and church leaders are anointed is the same. Traditional leaders must be given powers to preside over certain important issues,” Bishop Chirwa, whose church has more than 10 000 followers across Southern Africa, said.
Mr Craig Campbell, a white commercial farmer who works closely with people resettled around Chivhu, weighed in saying: “I have noticed that people are no-longer respecting traditional leaders, who are the custodians of culture. Failure to respect traditional leaders means that people no-longer respect such institutions as family, resulting in divorces and the spread of such diseases as Aids.”
He said many villagers defied traditional leaders’ orders to participate in traditional ceremonies.
Mr Nicholas Cheure, who attended Chief Mutekedza’s 20th anniversary celebrations, said traditional leaders must be given more powers.
“As Zimbabweans, we cannot run away from our cultures and traditions. In my view, traditional leaders must be given more powers so that they can execute their mandates effectively. They must work hand-in-glove with councils,” Mr Cheure said.
