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Sukoluhle Ndlovu Midlands Correspondent
President of the Zimbabwe Council of Chiefs, Chief Fortune Charumbira, has said traditional leaders are unapologetic about vehicles they received from Government as they are paying for them.

He said the chiefs were buying the vehicles and that this had nothing to do with vote-buying as alleged by opposition parties and civic society organisations. The Government recently handed over 52 vehicles to traditional leaders around the country, with more to be delivered shortly.

Speaking at Chief Samuel Samambwa’s installation ceremony in Zhombe on Saturday last week, Chief Charumbira said the vehicles were necessary for the dignity and respect of the chiefs.

“We are unapologetic about the cars we received from President Mnangagwa recently,” he said. “Those vehicles are necessary for the status, dignity and respect of the traditional leaders. If anything, we deserve those cars more than anyone else in this country.

“Contrary to popular belief that we were given the cars for free, we actually bought them with our own money. People are just ignorant about this whole thing. The cars were purchased with the money we have been contributing towards the Chiefs’ Vehicle Scheme since 2004. We did not get them for free.” Chief Charumbira told hundreds of villagers who were gathered at ceremony that traditional leaders should be catered for as stated by the Constitution.

“It’s you who designed the new Constitution, the same document which states that chiefs should be dignified and exemplary,” he said. “Now we are given cars, you question why it is done.

“If a politician gets a car you do not question, but a chief, you start saying a lot of things. What is the difference? After all, a politician only lasts for a short period of time, yet a chief is there for life.” Chief Charumbira urged villagers in Zhombe to live in unity and peace regardless of political affiliation.

“Violence has no place in this new dispensation and anyone found wanting will be dealt with,” he said. “This is not the time to fight, but the time to build our communities.”