Published by the government of Zimbabwe
Michael Padera
24 August 2007
Victoria Falls — PRESIDENT Mugabe yesterday hailed traditional leaders for backing and complementing Government efforts, saying the support would be reciprocated.
He also thanked the traditional leaders for the support they give him as an individual.
"Let me express my deep-seated gratitude and appreciation for the invitation and for the support you have expressed, your support for me and your total loyalty to our Government," he said.
President Mugabe was speaking as he officially opened the Annual Chiefs' Conference in Victoria Falls.
President of the Chiefs' Council Chief Fortune Charumbira set the tone when he told the conference that chiefs only recognised President Mugabe's leadership and would not consider any other leader for as long as the President lived.
He said while chiefs were apolitical, they supported a party and government that gives them ownership of the land.
Chief Charumbira said it was too late to experiment with any other leader because there was no guarantee that such a leader would stand for the rights of traditional leaders.
"When election time comes, we do not think of anyone else other than Cde Mugabe. We cannot experiment with new leaders," he said.
Chief Charumbira said a wavering leadership was akin to practising prostitution.
"Kubuda mumba kunounza Aids. You can talk of harmonisation (and) the succession debate, isu tinongoti VaMugabe," he said.
Earlier on, during a briefing, chiefs from all provinces said they were totally behind President Mugabe as they appreciated his Government's programmes.
Among problems the chiefs presented to the President were poor road networks, unavailability of transport, drought-induced hunger, delays in getting their allowances and lack of respect for traditional institutions.
The chiefs also complained of moral decadence, citing the high incidence of rape of minors by their fathers and the arrest of chiefs.
President Mugabe said a chief could only be arrested after he or she had been informed as happens with Government ministers.
He said the Annual Chiefs' Conference was an important forum that affords the Government an opportunity to be informed on issues of immediate concern to traditional leaders and the communities they lead. The Government, the President said, was determined to maintain the involvement of chiefs and their people in matters of governance.
He said traditional leaders were custodians of the traditions and values that form the basis of Zimbabwe's culture and personality.
He took a swipe at the erosion of Zimbabwe's culture through copying Western values and traditions.
The President said women should not wear mini skirts and dresses that expose all cleavages and private parts.
He blasted some pressure groups that were advocating the abolishment of lobola, saying such calls were misguided and a pervasion of our culture.
If there was no payment of lobola, such marriages would not last as both parties would regard each other as prostitutes, said Cde Mugabe.
The President said he would not allow his sons to just live with someone's daughter without paying lobola.
He said it was disturbing to receive weekly reports from the Attorney-General's Office showing that an average of 37 rape cases of children by their fathers are committed each week.
"Tave vanhu vakaita sei? How do we stop that? Is it because of HIV that people think little girls have the remedy?"
The President said it was the duty of chiefs to hold meetings with communities to discourage the practice.
Cde Mugabe explained the rationale behind the formation of the Cabinet Taskforce on Price Monitoring and Stabilisation and implored the chiefs to explain its aims to the people.
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