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MIRROR REPORTER 

MASVINGO – Government must as a matter of urgency demarcate official boundaries between Chief Bere and Chief Charumbira to avert deadly clashes between the two groups of people.

This emerged at a meeting of village heads from Headman Mapiye’s area who met at the Civic Center in Masvingo last Tuesday. Mapiye is one of the recently resuscitated Chief Bere’s headmen. 

The meeting was called to look into issues affecting villages under Mapiye and particularly the matter of boundaries.

The meeting which was attended by 38 village heads and chaired by Mapiye observed that Government did not demarcate boundaries between Charumbira and Chief Bere’s area hence there is high tension as the two groups of people squabble over boundaries.

The village heads called on Government to urgently attend to the issue of official boundaries.

Headman Mapiye born Gwitima Pisirayi Mapiye said he is worried over the issue of boundaries with Charumbira.

Village 16A, village head, Innocent Hasha said the commotion between the two chieftainships will escalate unless Government comes in to pronounce the boundaries to the two sides.

Chief Bere said, “Our Chiefdom was dissolved by the whites and Chief Charumbira and Chief Zimuto encroached into our land. 

Historical boundaries are known and for all  my Village heads are official in their areas. I briefed  President Mnangagwa over the issue and he knows what is happening. 

The authorities from the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works were supposed to come and demarcate boundaries on October 20,2023 but they didn’t come. We are still waiting for them and the Village heads from Charumbira’s know in their hearts that the land was taken back by its rightfull owners.”

Chief Charumbira wasn’t reached for comments since his numbers went unanswered.

“We thank Government for resuscitating our chiefdom but they should now come back and clarify the boundaries. Homesteads are being destroyed because of the acrimony between the two chieftainships. We appeal for Government’s urgent intervention.

“I decided to call a meeting of all my village heads today to discuss the issue of boundaries with Charumbira. All we want is peace and it is disturbing that my people’s homes are being destroyed by people from the other chief. I lost village head Takawira over boundaries and I call upon Government to intervene as a matter of urgency,” said Mapiye.

The Bere Chieftainship was disbanded during colonial times and resuscitated by Mnangagwa in 2019.

Village head Godhat Dunira told The Mirror that the Bere people want peace to prevail in the area.

Some of the Village heads who attended the meeting are Dunira , Gwanongodza, Dzingo, Tazira, Hasha and others.