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Rutendo Nyeve, [email protected]

CHIEFS from all parts of the country yesterday elected 16 of their members who will take seats in the Senate alongside 80 other senators.
Two chiefs were elected from each province and will join Chief’s Council President, Chief Mtshane Khumalo, and his deputy Chief Fortune Charumbira who became the first senators following their recent election.

In an interview soon after the election at Ntabazinduna Chiefs Assembly Hall in Matabeleland North, the Chief Mtshane said the process was a continuation of the one which took place a few weeks ago when they elected council members and their president and deputy.

“Today we were having elections to elect two chiefs per province who will represent us in the Senate. This comes after we chose the president and vice president of the Chiefs’ Council last week,” he said.

“We then had to choose two representatives from eight provinces who will represent us in the Senate bringing the number to 18 including the council president and his deputy. As such, chiefs countrywide are selecting two chiefs in their respective provinces. Here in Matabeleland North we chose Chief Siansali and Chief Mathuphula. They were both unanimously re-elected without contest,” said Chief Mtshane.

Chiefs from Matabeleland North unanimously re-elected Chief Siansali (Siatabwa Nkatazo) of Binga and Chief Mathuphula (Mandlakazulu) of Tsholotsho as the provincial Senate representatives.

The elections were conducted by Zimbabwe Electoral Commission officials and presided over by deputy provincial elections officer for Matabeleland North Province, Mr Pinos Buligwamanu.

Speaking after the election, Chief Siansali said he was delighted with the election and would play his role of representing the chiefs and their communities in law making and any other matters that are of national interest.

“I want to congratulate my province and the nation at large on my re-election to the Senate today. We were having elections to elect two chiefs who will represent the province in the Senate,” he said.

“As Matabeleland North, I was chosen as Senator number one and subsequently again chosen to be the chairperson of the province. I am so glad that the chiefs continue to see value in me.

“My role is to represent them in the Senate and represent our communities on the legislative issues and other issues that might need representation at national level. I am so happy and delighted,” said Chief Siansali.

Chief Mathuphula also echoed the same sentiments while applauding the chiefs for exhibiting unity of purpose during the election.
“I would like to thank the chiefs from Matabeleland North, the whole provincial assembly for the vote of confidence that they bestowed on me to represent them in the August House. The process itself was very smooth,” he said.

“It was a similar situation like the one when we elected the council of chiefs’ members, there was consensus. Chiefs agreed and there was no need to cast the ballot and all this happened without having to disagree or caucus outside. We are very proud as a province to have such unity amongst us as chiefs,” said Chief Mathuphula.

In the Midlands province, chiefs convened in Gweru where they duly elected Chief Ngungumbane from Mberengwa and Chief Chireya to represent them in Senate for the next five years.

The two chiefs have also been duly nominated as provincial council chairperson and deputy respectively. Chief Ngungumbane garnered 17 votes while Chief Chireya secured nine votes. The elections were conducted by ZEC with a total of 31 chiefs from the province making the electoral college.

Chief Ngungumbane said he felt highly honoured to have been given the responsibility and mandate to lead and represent fellow peers in the Senate for the next five years.

In Matabeleland South Chief Masendu from Bulilima and Chief Nyangazonke from Matobo were elected as Senator chiefs. Chief Masendu garnered 10 votes while Chief Nyangazonke won with seven votes. A total of 26 Chiefs constituted the electoral college.

The elections were conducted at the office of the Permanent Secretary for Matabeleland South Provincial Affairs and Devolution and presided over by ZEC.

Matabeleland South provincial elections officer, Mr Rabson Nyoni said the election process was conducted peacefully.
“The process of electing Senator Chiefs was very much organised and peaceful. Chief Masendu from Bulilima and Chief Nyangazonke from Matobo District were elected to represent the province,” he said.

“I would like to applaud the chiefs for maintaining peace during their elections and I think we need to learn from them so that our electoral processes as a nation can be held peacefully and they can be productive.”