Causes and Conflict Trends Between Traditional Leadership and the Government of Zimbabwe: The Case of Chief Sengwe 1980-2008

Abstract

This dissertation sought to analyse the causes and conflict trends between traditional leadership (the case of Chief Sengwe 80 to 2008) and elected authorities of the modern state of Zimbabwe in order to establish the extent to which democratic laws have impeached and eroded the roles and functions of traditional leadership. In this study twenty five ordinary people of the Sengwe Community, ten councilors, ten members of the Chiefs Council, ten councilors, six VIDCO Chairpersons, four WADCO Chairpersons, Chairman of the Chiefs council, a district administrator, a provincial administrator and the permanent secretary in the Ministry of Local Government and National and National Housing were used as the research subjects. Questionnaires and interviews were used as research instruments. The documentary review method was also used to provide in depth information of the causes and conflict trends between traditional leadership and the democratic state. The study showed that the major causes of conflict trends between traditional leadership and the modern state border around the imperatives of tradition and the legislative framework guiding the activities of governance. As a way forward the study recommended that state and representative bodies of traditional authorities should jointly review the myriad legislative provisions as a way of educating the traditional authorities and elected leaders about the implications of these legislations for their roles and for knowledge building purposes. Concrete steps should be taken to move beyond coexistence and cooptation towards integration and mainstreaming of both types of leadership into the priority setting, legal process, monitoring and evaluation to include well-defined mechanisms for strengthening the relationship between the two components.