News / National
Families feud over chieftaincy
30 May 2014 at 06:40hrs | Views
BATTLE lines have been drawn over the Chivi chieftaincy in Masvingo with the three families eyeing the post at each other's throats.
Substantive Chief Chivi, Chiimba Sundire, died in 2012 and Emmanuel Chiimba was seconded to the position as acting chief and is due for installation this year.
However, Chiimba said a fresh misunderstanding had erupted over the post despite an earlier resolution by concerned families on the matter. The acting chief said he was the deserving candidate as he was chosen ahead of others earlier on.
He said the chieftainship belonged to the Musvuugwa family to which he belongs and would not be passed onto the next family.
"I am surprised where this feud is coming from. The hierarchy is very clear. For the Chivi chieftainship, I am the one who is supposed to be installed. The late chief belonged to the Musvuugwa family and that means I should be the heir to the throne," he said.
However, Isaiah Penemene of the Madyangove family, said the Musvuugwa family was supposed to hand over the chieftainship to others in the family. He said the heir to the late chief's throne should be rotated among the three families of the late chief adding that the Musvuugwa family had benefited three times at the exclusion of others.
"Chief Chivi should be selected from three families Maruzegwa, Matsveru and Madyangove. Musvuugwa is from the Maruzegwa family," said Penemene.
He said the Madyangove and Maruzegwa families would hold a meeting soon to select a suitable candidate.
Chivi district administrator Benard Hadzirambwi is set to preside over the initial selection of Chief Chivi on June 4, at Chivi growth point.
Hadzirambwi confirmed plans for the meeting.
"I confirm there is going to be a meeting sometime next week at Chivi where I have invited families involved in the Chivi chieftainship. I would not call it a wrangle because feuds are a common phenomenon when a chief is about to be installed. Family members would aspire to be installed as chiefs and we have invited each family involved to tell its side of the story."
He said the meeting would collate the information on the history of the Chivi chieftainship and a report would be sent to Local Government, Public Works and National Housing Minister, Dr Ignatius Chombo.
Substantive Chief Chivi, Chiimba Sundire, died in 2012 and Emmanuel Chiimba was seconded to the position as acting chief and is due for installation this year.
However, Chiimba said a fresh misunderstanding had erupted over the post despite an earlier resolution by concerned families on the matter. The acting chief said he was the deserving candidate as he was chosen ahead of others earlier on.
He said the chieftainship belonged to the Musvuugwa family to which he belongs and would not be passed onto the next family.
"I am surprised where this feud is coming from. The hierarchy is very clear. For the Chivi chieftainship, I am the one who is supposed to be installed. The late chief belonged to the Musvuugwa family and that means I should be the heir to the throne," he said.
However, Isaiah Penemene of the Madyangove family, said the Musvuugwa family was supposed to hand over the chieftainship to others in the family. He said the heir to the late chief's throne should be rotated among the three families of the late chief adding that the Musvuugwa family had benefited three times at the exclusion of others.
"Chief Chivi should be selected from three families Maruzegwa, Matsveru and Madyangove. Musvuugwa is from the Maruzegwa family," said Penemene.
He said the Madyangove and Maruzegwa families would hold a meeting soon to select a suitable candidate.
Chivi district administrator Benard Hadzirambwi is set to preside over the initial selection of Chief Chivi on June 4, at Chivi growth point.
Hadzirambwi confirmed plans for the meeting.
"I confirm there is going to be a meeting sometime next week at Chivi where I have invited families involved in the Chivi chieftainship. I would not call it a wrangle because feuds are a common phenomenon when a chief is about to be installed. Family members would aspire to be installed as chiefs and we have invited each family involved to tell its side of the story."
He said the meeting would collate the information on the history of the Chivi chieftainship and a report would be sent to Local Government, Public Works and National Housing Minister, Dr Ignatius Chombo.
Source - chronicle
