.. AS 42 out of 45 voted for Charumbira, Nhema and Chitanga to be recalled from Senate,
Chiefs Council
By Brighton Chiseva
MASVINGO – The Masvingo Provincial Chiefs Council has resolved to recall its current
national vice president and former national president, Chief Fortune Charumbira, along with two
of his colleagues, Chief Nhema of Zaka born Rangarirai Bwawanda, and Chief Chitanga of
Mwenezi, born Feleni Chauke, from the chiefs’ council and the Senate, where they represent
chiefs in Masvingo Province.
The resolution was made at a provincial chiefs’ council meeting held at Clevers Resort on
September 14, where 45 chiefs voted on the motion.
Of those, 42 voted in favor of the recall, three voted against, and six were not present. The
motion was read by recently installed Chief Nemamwa, who is Charumbira’s nemesis, as his
chiefdom was created from Charumbira’s area and the two have clashed several times at funerals
and other gatherings.
The chiefs ordered the current provincial chair, Chief Serima born Vengai Rushwaya, to send the
resolution to the Minister of Local Government within seven days.
“The Chair is hereby directed to transmit this resolution, signed declaration and the minutes of
this meeting to the Minister of Local Government, the President of the Chiefs Council and the
President of the Republic of Zimbabwe within seven days,” said Nemamwa.
They also directed the chairperson to call for elections to replace the three within 30 days.
The three were jointly accused of undermining President Emmerson Mnangagwa, who is the
appointing authority, by allegedly trying to block the appointment of several resurrected or
upgraded chieftaincies.
They were also accused of not attending six installation ceremonies of new chiefs across the
province and of failing to represent the chiefs in the Senate by not consulting local chiefs on
CAB 3 provisions that spoke to the chiefs. They were further accused of failing to represent their
interests at the national level, including their welfare.
Chitanga was specifically accused of defying an order by the Minister of Local Government that
removed him from being the chairperson of the provincial chiefs’ council and of refusing to
return his service vehicle.
In their defence, both Nhema and Chitanga dismissed the allegations that they did not attend the
six installations because they were against the installations, but because they were away on
Parliament business. Nhema said he even sent a representative to Chief Muroyi’s installation and
physically attended the installation of Chief Nyajena.
“Sometimes we will be out of the country or away on Parliament duty. I sent a representative to
the installation of Chief Muroyi, so if I was against his installation, I would not have sent him,”
said Nhema.
On his part, Chitanga said he never had any challenges with his removal as the provincial chiefs’
council chair and said the chiefs cannot discuss the vehicle because of the ministry that gave him
the car. “Is there any day I called for a meeting or did anything in defiance of the minister’s
directive that I was no longer the chief? I complied, and you cannot discuss the vehicle. I got it
from the Ministry, and they were in touch with me all the time,” said Chitanga.
Charumbira was not at the meeting on the day to respond, but they were all asked to respond in
writing within a specified time.
Speaking to TellZim News after the meeting, provincial chiefs’ council chair Chief Serima said
the government would follow due process.
“We believe the government will follow due process because we recalled them for not adhering
to what the government wants them to do, like installing chiefs in this province. They absconded
six installations, thereby undermining the President. Other charges emanated from court
applications where the chiefs took the President to court, and Masvingo said no to that; the
President is the father; he is the Munhumutapa, so no one in his capacity as chief or any other
citizen can take the President to court. For us chiefs, we were employed by the President to work
for this republic, so we cannot be seen taking the appointing authority to court,” said Serima.
