Angry Chiefs Storm Out Of RDC Meeting
Five chiefs walked out of a meeting with the Tsholotsho Rural District Council (RDC) councillors on Thursday after one of the councillors accused them of lying.
Ward Eight councillor, Christopher Sibanda, claimed that the traditional leaders lied to the Government about the procedures that were followed resulting in the reduction of elephant trophy fees from US$40 000 to US$10 000.
Sibanda also alleged that the chiefs were trying to impose their preferred persons as councillors.
The councillor’s accusations came after the chiefs had written a letter to the Minister of Local Government and Public Works July Moyo alleging that some councillors were corrupt and had acquired unexplained wealth soon after elephant trophy sales.
Cllr Sibanda, representing councillors, first read the letter that the chiefs wrote and then accused chiefs of misrepresenting facts to the Government.
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Chief Gampu was the first to storm out of the meeting, and Chief Siphoso, Chief Mathuphula, Chief Tategulu and Chief Magama eventually left after realising that their colleague was not coming back.
Cllr Siwela confirmed the incident and said that he had apologised on behalf of the councillor whom he chose not to name. He said:
Indeed, we had a meeting with the chiefs and committees for natural resources and the Campfire project.
I think at the start of the meeting there was a comment from one councillor who said they have been doing a lot for the chiefs from Campfire funds so they must not claim that nothing was being done for them.
He then went on to say the chiefs must not criticise councillors as if they have their own people that they want to be councillors. I think that was an unfortunate statement.
I apologised on his behalf but it seems that statement did not go down well with Chief Gampu who walked out of the meeting.
Chief Tategulu said the meeting must stick to the agenda instead of dwelling on unrelated issues.
However, Chief Mathuphula said before the meeting could continue, the councillor must first withdraw his statement which was done but Chief Siphoso said while the withdrawal had been done the meeting could no longer continue in the absence of Chief Gampu.
Tsholotsho District Development Coordinator (DDC), Aaron Gono, said the chiefs walked out of the meeting because they felt they were being attacked, belittled and disrespected by their subjects. Said Gono:
What happened was really so unfortunate, the meeting was meant for the two parties to smoke the peace pipe but the chiefs felt attacked by utterances from the Ward Eight councillor, in particular, Chief Gampu because he was the one who signed the letter on behalf of the other chiefs.
This meeting also came following recommendations by the Local Government and Public Works Deputy Minister Marian Chombo but unfortunately, an unexpected situation happened.
