A group of residents from the Kutama area appears to be in a dispute with their senior traditional leader, Thovhele Vele Kutama. On Monday, 4 September, they marched to the Kutama Tribal Council office to deliver a memorandum outlining their grievances. Even school learners joined the march to raise their concerns.
The ongoing feud between community members and Thovhele Kutama shows no sign of being resolved. In this latest development, residents accuse Kutama of selling land in a discriminatory manner without respecting the rights of the people who live there.
Meetings have been held in Kutama on several occasions, during which numerous residents voiced their concerns about how land issues were being handled. The residents claim that Kutama is abusing his power by selling stands and small farms belonging to local residents to outsiders without the former's permission or knowledge.
According to the community representative, Mr. Musundwa Mafanedza, they approached Kutama to inquire about the sale of their stands and farms, and his response was simply that the land belonged to him. "We were shocked and angered to hear those words from the mouth of a traditional leader in whom we had placed our trust, respect, and confidence," Mafanedza said.
In response to the accusations and the protests by residents, Thovhele Kutama acknowledged the protest march had taken place. He confirmed receipt of the memorandum outlining the grievances and stated that the council, consisting of all nine chiefs from the area, would review it. Kutama promised that the residents would receive a response within seven days.