By A Correspondent| The Minister of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing July Moyo has revealed that government previously blocked efforts by proponents of the revival of the Munhumutapa and Rozvi Emperors as they are not catered for in the National Constitution.

Minister Moyo said this in the Senate Chambers on Thursday responding to a question by Chief Gampu of Matabeleland on why government had blocked the coronation of prince Bulelani Lobengula Khumalo as king of the Ndebele.

“For instance, there are those who want to revive Munhumutapa, we do not have that emperor in the Constitution and we advised them accordingly. Last year, there were those who wanted to have a Rozvi King and we advised equally the same that we do not have that terminology in our Constitution,” said Moyo.

“Until the Constitution has been amended accordingly, we cannot advice anybody contrary to what the Constitution says,” he added.

Minister Moyo said that it is not fair for the chiefs to be the ones pushing for the instalment of a king when they were involved in the constitution making process and never brought up the issue of the king.

“The Chiefs were participants in that Constitution making process,” said Moyo.

“In our Constitution, it is very clear that the traditional leaders as defined in the Constitution are in three parts only, the first one is a chief, in Shona ndi mambo, in Ndebele Induna but in our Constitution it is the Chief. Then there is a headman and there is a village head.”

“So, when people who wanted to have a King wrote to us, we advised that in our Constitution we have no provision for a King,” he said.

Chiefs from Matabeleland were last week involved in a heated debate with the Minister when they demanded to install Bulelani Lobengula Khumalo as King of the Ndebele.

Minister Moyo called off the coronation claiming that the process was unconstitutional.

The Crown Council led by Chief Mathema of Gwanda has since said that they will be taking the matter to the Constitutional Court.