By Chantelle Muzanenhamo
JOSEPH Muleya has been officially installed as Headman Tshinoni, with local leaders urging him to strengthen traditional leadership structures, address social challenges and work closely with the Beitbridge Rural District Council (RDC) on development.
Muleya was installed on Saturday at Old Nuli Village.
His jurisdiction covers Ward 5 and parts of Wards 2, 13 and 15.
Speaking at the installation ceremony, Chief Matibe, Elish Mbedzi, said the new headman had a responsibility to ensure that traditional leadership structures function effectively.
He said Muleya would be responsible for monitoring Village Heads, ensuring that village headship registers remained up to date and facilitating the filling of vacancies through proper traditional leadership structures.
Chief Matibe also stressed the importance of community participation in development through village and ward assemblies.
“Such structures promote participation, accountability, cohesion and unity of purpose within our communities,” he said.
He challenged Muleya to work with Village Heads and other stakeholders in addressing social challenges, including child pregnancies, child abuse, sexual and gender-based violence and domestic violence.
“I therefore expect Headman Tshinoni to work closely with the Village Heads and other stakeholders in monitoring these challenges and taking appropriate action in accordance with the law,” Mbedzi said.
Meanwhile, Beitbridge RDC Chairperson Oscar Chiromo said the installation would help close gaps in the traditional leadership structure that had created opportunities for abuse, particularly in land allocation.
He raised concern over what he described as “subhuku deals”, saying some people had taken advantage of the absence of a substantive headman to parcel out land.
“As you are witnessing right now, we are faced with a lot of mischief in terms of people parceling out lands, these are subhuku deals,” he said.
Chiromo said some people had been settled in areas where government had planned major development projects.
He said closer cooperation between traditional leaders and council was necessary to support orderly development in the district.
“We are interlinked. The traditional leaders and RDC work hand in glove in order to enhance development in the area,” Chiromo said.
Welcoming Muleya’s installation, Chiromo said the appointment had restored an important link between traditional leadership, council and communities.
Headman Tshinoni pledged to fight social ills affecting his community, including child marriages, illegal land sales, drug and substance abuse, gender-based violence and other forms of social abuse.
“I will work with Village Heads, the community and other stakeholders to fight all social ills, curb child marriages, illegal land sales and drug abuse, among other challenges affecting our people,” Muleya said.