Chamisa govt to force leaders to speak local languages

MDC –T president Nelson Chamisa on Saturday said the MDC government will make it mandatory for national leaders to speaker all the indigenous languages.

Addressing thousands of MDC Alliance supporters at the White City stadium in Bulawayo, Chamisa said no language should be considered superior to the other under the MDC leadership.

“What I can tell you is that in the new dispensation we want to make sure it’s compulsory for leaders to speak all the languages. We do not want language imperialism or language cleansing in a new Zimbabwe,” he said.

The MDC –T president stressed that all aspiring national leaders should be conversant with all national languages.

“It starts with your president. So, Baba Biti (Tendai) you must be serious you cannot be a leader without leadership.

“Leadership is an ability to connect with the community. The ability to understand the culture and tradition of the locals,” said Chamisa.

He pointed out that while Shona-speaking people are welcome in Matebeleland, they should be conversant in local languages.

“I’m not saying Shona-speaking people are not supposed to be in Matebeleland. No, they have to be here, but we are saying let the Shona speaking people speak both languages not to be like Mugabe (Robert) or (Emmerson Mnangagwa) ED who for 38 years cannot speak local languages,” he said.

Mugabe, who lived in Matebeleland for many years as a teacher, hardly ever spoke a Ndebele publicly.