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Elita Chikwati Senior Reporter
First Lady Auxillia Mnangagwa will tomorrow meet chiefs’ wives in Harare to build synergies on various programmes that promote empowerment of women, girl child and youths in their communities. The meeting was organised by the National Council of Chiefs (NCC).

NCC president, Chief Fortune Charumbira, yesterday said chiefs had formally sent a request to President Mnangagwa that their wives wanted to meet the First Lady.

He said the NCC did not have offices and was conducting its communications through the Local Government, Public Works and National Housing ministry.

“The ministry is a conduit of information rather than convener because the NCC has no offices to carry out its administrative logistics,” said Chief Charumbira.

He said chiefs’ wives played different roles in their areas, while the First Lady was also doing her philanthropic work nationally.

“The objective of the meeting is to assist chiefs’ wives to fully play their motherly role,” said Chief Charumbira.

“The chiefs’ wives have been involved in compassionate roles without much support.

“They offer counselling services for women who approach the chief with various problems, counsel women affected by domestic violence and also assist hunger stricken families through the Zunde raMambo scheme, among other roles. They have never received formal training, but need to be capacitated to be champions of women empowerment.”