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Chief Mtshane Khumalo

Kudzai Chikiwa, Chronicle Reporter
A TOTAL of 35 chiefs have been elected into the National Council of Chiefs.

The election was conducted on July 11 in terms of Section 37 of the Traditional Leaders Act [Chapter2:13], the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) has announced.

It sets the stage for the election of the president and deputy president of the council today.

The chiefs elected into the council included Mtshane, Shana, Sikhobokhobo and Siabuwa all from Matabeleland North.

Chiefs Masendu, Masuku, Gwebu and Sibasa were elected from Matabeleland South.

In the Midlands, chiefs Chireya, Mafala, Mataruse, Ntabeni and Ngungumbane made it into the Chiefs’ Council.

Today, the elected Chiefs will meet to choose the president and deputy president of the National Council of Chiefs.

On August 1, the Chiefs will meet again to elect two Senator Chiefs for each of the eight non-metropolitan provinces.

“The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission will preside over those elections,’’ said Zec chairperson Justice Priscilla Chigumba in a statement.

The Zimbabwe Council of Chiefs (ZCC) is an assembly of traditional leaders throughout Zimbabwe .The president and deputy president of the ZCC are both members of the Senate since 2007 and ZCC appoints 10 chiefs to the Senate under the constitution.

Chief Fortune Charumbira of Masvingo Province is the president of the ZCC and Chief Lucas Mtshane Khumalo of Bubi District is the vice president.

Zimbabwe adopted a new Constitution in 2013 which, among other things, recognises the role of the institution of traditional leadership which operates alongside modern State structures.

Chiefs play important roles including judicial, developmental and co-ordinative roles, land and traditional matters.

@tamary98