By-President Emmerson Mnangagwa handed over new cars to 38 newly installed chiefs during an annual chiefs’ conference held in Bulawayo on Wednesday.

The conference is being held under the theme, “Cultural Foundation for Community Development”.

Mnangagwa promised the traditional leaders that his administration will improve their living conditions.

He also challenged the chiefs and headman to ensure they defend their land ahead of the general elections.

The President promised the traditional leaders that the government will construct access roads to their homesteads, and provide them with medical aid cover, clean water and solar energy. CITE quoted Mnangagwa as saying:

Our voters are under you since you have come in numbers, I hope you have trust in me, if you had no trust in me you were not going to come in big numbers.

Since you have trust in the second republic, we have trust in you traditional leaders in that you have to defend our land.

You have to defend the identity and the respect of the African person.

The rest of the country’s chiefs are set to receive their cars in batches.