Daggers drawn over Marange chieftainship

Abel Zhakata Senior Reporter

A BITTER chieftainship wrangle has erupted in Marange following last Thursday’s installation of a substantive traditional leader in the area, with elders of the clan alleging that the new chief was corruptly crowned without following laid down customary procedures.

Well-defined divisions have emerged among the kinsmen as they position themselves to claim the throne which has been vacant since 2005 following the death of Chief Mastic Matange Chikwavadombo.

Minister of Rural Development, Promotion and Preservation of National Culture and Heritage, Cde Abedinico Ncube, last week installed Mr Bernard Makungauta Murwira as the substantive Chief Marange.

However, 11 houses that have a claim to the Marange chieftainship have come out guns blazing accusing Cde Ncube of ‘secretly and corruptly’ installing Mr Murwira whom they said was not in line to take over the throne.

They said last week’s ‘surprise’ installation ceremony which was never attended by members of the Marange Clan, including the acting chief as well as 10 headmen under the chieftainship, was a farce.

In separate interviews this week, the elders said they do not recognise the new chief.

They said they would continue working with acting Chief Marange, Mr Gilbert Noah Gomo Chikwavadombo Marange, until Government properly crown Mr Taurayi Takwanyi Dzoma Marange who is the right candidate in line with their traditions.

However, Mr Murwira has since rubbished their claims saying it was a case of sour grapes.

He said Dzoma did not land the crown because he had cultural transgressions he committed that disqualified him from being chief.

“Dzoma is not clean and that is why he did not land the chieftainship. All those who are making noise are being used by some politicians who have sinister agendas. If Gilbert (acting chief) continues to undermine my authority, I will charge him. I am the new chief and he should cease whatever he is doing.

“Everything was done above board and all the evidence is there at the DA’s office. Let me remind those people that we do not tolerate lawlessness in Marange,” he said.

Acting Chief Marange, Mr Gomo Chikwavadombo, who has been holding the reigns for more than 11 years since the death of his father Mastic Matange in September 2005, said he was neither invited to the installation ceremony, nor was he given an official letter from the ministry to terminate his contract.

“What I know is that I am still acting Chief Marange because I have never been told by word of mouth or in written form that I should step aside. What happened last week was a shocker. How can a Minister come here and install a chief from the blues without the knowledge of the Marange clan? No-one chooses chiefs for us, but our leaders are chosen in line with a well known traditional rite which says the eldest surviving son must take over.

“It is well known in Marange and we all agreed as members of the clan that Dzoma was the next in line to take over the throne and that correspondence was sent to the District Administrator’s Office and forwarded to the relevant upper offices regarding our position. What happened last week was a total surprise and it has the potential of causing mayhem in Marange. The Minister has no right to choose a person he wants to be chief. This is a complete distortion of our tradition that has been followed for more than two centuries,” he said and added:

“Fine, they chose their own person to lead us, but can someone explain to me what it means for honourable persons to come here and conduct a ceremony in my area as acting chief without even inviting me? Ok, maybe they forgot to do so. For the past 11 years I have been acting Chief Marange and these people did not find wisdom in inviting me to come to the installation ceremony and handover everything to the new chief if whatever they were doing was above board. Can’t you see this is all corruption? We are not going to be intimidated because our history is being distorted here. This will create problems in future if we do not rectify the situation. I am still acting Chief Marange and I am going to do my duties as usual.”

Headman Aleck Bwizi Marange said they were taking their case to the High Court. He called for a Press conference in the company of Messrs Dzoma, Patikai Muchisi Marange, Blood Marange, Vheremu Matika and several other elder members of the clan on Tuesday.

“All along we believed that Dzoma was going to be installed as the substantive chief, but corruption and greed has derailed everything. In July this year we received correspondence from the ministry that they were going to install Dzoma as the new chief, but the event was cancelled after we had prepared everything.

“If what happened last week is not rectified, our history and way of life will be flushed down the toilet. Murwira is not the chief. He is not in line. We don’t know where they got his name from, but we believe that money exchanged hands. This is crazy. We are taking this matter to the High Court. We have everything, evidence which shows that Dzoma was robbed of his chance to rule,” he said.

District Administrator, Mr Edgars Seenza, revealed on Tuesday that he was yet to be appraised on the problems that erupted following the installation of the new chief.

He said according to the new Constitution, problems relating to traditional leaders were now being solved by Provincial Assembly of Chiefs that is chaired by Chief Chiduku.

“My role as the DA is just to offer secretarial services, but everything now rests with the provincial assembly,” he said.

During the installation ceremony, Minister Ncube said Mr Murwira was the right candidate and that he was aware of unending disputes over the succession issue.

“I am quite aware that there are some who may wish to object and continue to contest the appointment of Bernard Murwira despite the fact that countless meetings to resolve the dispute were held. That will not come as a surprise to us as a closer scrutiny at the history of chieftainships in Zimbabwe can tempt one to safely surmise that disputes are inevitable in Shona collateral succession custom because it technically entitles almost every male member of the clan equal chance to ascend to the chieftainship.”