Democratise village chairmanship to allow meritori...

Democratise village chairmanship to allow meritorious leadership: MIHR

THE Matabeleland Institute for Human Rights says that the current laws that make village heads automatic development committee chairs should be changed.

“We recommend the amendment of the Act to allow for the meritorious election of competent local private individuals as chairpersons of village development committees, and the village head continues only being the chairperson of the village assembly as is consistent with other local development structures provided by the same Act," said MIHR Coordinator Khumbulani Maphosa while addressing the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Local Government.

Maphosa said Parliament should modify the Traditional Leaders Act as currently it promotes lack of democracy.

“The Traditional Leaders Act (Chapter 29:17) mandated the village head to chair over the village development committee, to co-ordinate its work and to submit the resolutions and plans of that committee to the village assembly for consideration, and where appropriate, to implement the plans,” said Maphosa.

He said the village head chairs and presides over every meeting of the village assembly whose functions include electing, supervising the village development committee and approve any village development plan before its submission to the ward development committee.

Maphosa’s submission opens up the village chair position for inclusivity and gender balance as currently women are shut out as almost all traditional leaders including village heads are male in line with traditional customs.

The few female village heads and chiefs are oddities making up less than one percent of the traditional leadership cohort.

Local Government Committee Chairperson Miriam Chikukwa said the committee would look into the issue by consulting with stakeholders, which include village heads as well as villagers before making any recommendations.