The chiefs made the request at the chiefs’ annual conference held in Masvingo which was attended by over 200 chiefs last week. President of the Council of Chiefs, Fortune Charumbira, said chiefs’ salaries and other benefits had not been reviewed since the inception of the inclusive government and blamed Finance Minister Tendai Biti for neglecting them.
“We are not happy with Minister Biti for neglecting our issues,” said Charumbira. No official comment could be obtained from Biti at the time of going to press. However, Mugabe said the chiefs requested an urgent meeting with him to discuss their welfare.
“I am more than prepared to meet the chiefs to discuss their problems,” said the President.
Meanwhile, the chiefs’ annual conference resolved to campaign for a yes vote during the forthcoming constitutional referendum scheduled for 16 March this year. Charumbira said they had reservations over some clauses within the draft constitution which he said should be fine tuned. “We are going to vote yes for the constitution but that does not stop us from raising issues which we feel should be corrected,” he said. Addressing the chiefs, Mugabe said he was tired of the inclusive government and wanted it to come to an end. Mugabe also called for violence free polls and urged people to vote.
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