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This article participates on the following special index pages:
2008 harmonised elections - Index of articles
16
Chiefs elected as Senate representatives
The Herald
(Zimbabwe)
April 04, 2008
A total of 16 chiefs from the country's eight rural provinces
were elected to represent traditional leaders in the Senate following
polls conducted in the provinces on Monday.
The President
of the Zimbabwe Council of Chiefs, Chief Fortune Charumbira, confirmed
the election yesterday.
The elections
were conducted by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission's provincial
heads and only substantive chiefs were allowed to stand as well
as vote in the elections.
Each of the
eight non-metropolitan provinces had to elect two chiefs to the
Senate.
Chief Charumbira
said the following were elected:
- Matabeleland
North; Chief Shana from Jambezi and Chief Gampu from Tsholostho
- Matabeleland
South; Chief Bidi from Matobo (now deceased)
and Chief Masendu from Bulilima
- Masvingo;
Chief Mabika and Chief Chitanga
- Mashonaland
East; Chief Masarurwa and Chief Nyamukohwo
- Manicaland;
Chief Chimombe and Chief Chiduke
- Midlands;
Chief Ngungumbani from Mberengwa and Chief Ntabeni of Silobela.
- Mashonaland
West and Mashonaland Central; Results were not available although
Chief Charumbira confirmed that elections were also held in the
provinces.
Chief Charumbira,
who was recently re-elected to the post of president of the Chiefs
Council giving him an automatic ticket to the Senate, said the elections
were held in a free and fair environment and the outcome represented
the wishes of the chiefs.
He said the
Chiefs who were chosen were of a high calibre and expressed hope
that they would contribute meaningfully during debates in the Senate.
Chief Charumbira
said chiefs' contributions in the Senate were very crucial
because as tradition leaders they were in touch with the people
at grassroots level.
"Chiefs
know the real issues that affect the people at the grassroots. In
many cases the Senate is a law-making body and you cannot separate
judicial functions from the chiefs as they have been carrying out
those functions for a long time.
"You also
want the laws of the nation to be rooted in the morals, culture
and ethics of the nation. Chiefs are the cradle of those values
and that's why they should be in the Senate," he said.
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