News / Press Release
King Lobengula family press statement
01 Aug 2017 at 19:15hrs | Views
Date: 28 July, 2017
Venue: Bulawayo
Taking into account of the fact that on the 4th December, 1893 darkness fell over the Umthwakazi or Ndebele nation when their King, King Lobengula disappeared and that on the 25th June, 1896, Prince Nyamande Khumalo was installed as a King, but the colonialists banished him to the Bembesi Forest after he had refused to denounce Kingship and accept their offer that he be a Paramount Chief of Bulawayo; in recognition of all the efforts made by Njube, Nguboyenja and other royal members and the Ndebele nation to revive, their Monarch system and very bitter about the fact that progressive regimes thereafter have suppressed all the efforts to revive our Kingship, King Lobengula family with immediate effect takes cultural Royal leadership of the Umthwakazi nation. This provides a rallying point and the beginning of providing a public response to the long awaited re-enactment of the Ndebele Monarch.
As per the resolution of the Meeting at Amakhosi Theatre on the 6 November, 1997, King Lobengula's House is the one to identify the Heir to the throne and submit the heir to the Chiefs who are to make an announcement to the public and prepare for the installation of the King. The above stated declaration is thus an important message to the Ndebele nation and it is important to understand what it means.
The Guiding Principles are that:
1. Humanity - we are a people and have UBUNTU.
2. We originate as a nation of over 20 diverse ethnic groups from the past of good things and we have the right to pick on them and use them positively for the nation.
3. We stand firmly representing the social, economic, political interests of the Umthwakazi nation, but will not participate in Party politics.
4. We will execute our cultural observances without fear in the same way as done by our forefathers.
5. We, as a nation remain united among ourselves and not against anyone.
6. All cultures are equal and should be practiced unhindered.
7. Umthwakazi and all those within the area of the King's jurisdiction should control and benefit from their resources first.
8. The King shall be custodian of the land and other resources.
9. Live in harmony with their neighbours.
10. Re examine the traditional structure and redress anomalies some of which have been created by progressive governments.
11. Part of a second majority in Africa and part of a majority in the SADC Region and as such the nation has to be exemplary in cultural leadership.
Vision:
The King Lobengula Royal family envisages:
a people's cultural Monarch system that should lead all the people paying allegiance to the institution in enjoying the control and benefits of local resources and assets within the Kingdom for their livelihood and welfare.
Leadership Style:
The leadership pillars adopted by King Lobengula's House is one of;
a) Accountability
b) Consultation
c) Collective ethic
d) Inspiration
Courage in the leadership will instill discipline and focus towards our targets. Wisdom will remain the key to making the right decisions and choices on behalf of Umthwakazi nation. The ability to bring people together and inclusivity will create solidarity embedded on common passions or interests towards achieving our set objectives.
Revival of the Monarch
This is a process that has stretched for a very long time but it is nearing completion. King Lobengula appeals to the nation to continue with their patience. The family is aware of the burning desire to have a King now, but the family cannot afford to make mistakes in reconstructing this institution because they are trying to meet targets set outside the process. Mistakes that can be made now will be impossible to repair and we will have a deformed institution. The family in leadership assures the Ndebele nation that what appears as delays are a result of efforts to come up with a product that spurns pride among us and we can justify. Short cuts are not the answer. The above leadership declaration is a major step that it should be telling us all that we are almost there. It is not the mandate for the family to announce to the nation the Heir to the throne. The family will inform stakeholders and the Chiefs who are the custodians of our culture. Cautious not to speak for them, their expectation and what is going to happen is that they will only entertain details coming through the family. Any submission from outside the King Lobengula family is considered an improper shortcut. This guideline is to be observed by the rest of the other Khumalo Clan members who should avoid dividing King Lobengula's House by identifying the House within it that has the Heir or identifying the Heir to the throne when they have not been involved in the process.
The Framework:
King Lobengula's House, the Royal House, tables this roadmap towards completing the exercise of re-enacting the Ndebele Monarch.
1. King Lobengula House assumes its cultural leadership position to start the ball rolling.
2. Uniting the Umthwakazi nation. An instrument is in place in which the objectives of the existence of the Institution are clearly tabulated and the nation will rally around this instrument for social, economic and cultural well-being.
3. An identity emblem has been produced and that should be circulated soon for comments and finalization.
4. Handing over the Heir to the throne to the Chiefs and then processing the announcement and installation.
5. Separating Commemorations with the installation of the King.
6. Advocacy - continuous consultations with stakeholders.
7. Establishing structures on the Zulu Royal institution.
8. Coronation.
9. Live in harmony with their neighbours.
10. Re examine the traditional structure and redress anomalies some of which have been created by progressive governments.
11. Part of a second majority in Africa and part of a majority in the SADC Region and as such the nation has to be exemplary in cultural leadership.
Umthwakazi is requested to note that the House is not privy to give excessive details on certain aspects as there are enemies of the process of the re-establishment of the Monarch system of this nation on the waiting.
Challenges:
The whole process of the revival of the Umthwakazi Monarch has not been easy particularly due to the vacuum that has existed since 1800s without a King. The nation was dispersed and there was a loss and destruction of our culture by colonial governments and our African government has not done anything to assist to mend the situation.
1. Imposters of the King. This has been going on for many years culminating into recent events in which we have had people changing surnames to Khumalo and making a lot of public claims of birthrights. Most of them talk of spiritual guidance (either ancestral or Christian beliefs).Some have exhibited immeasurable levels of derision of grandeur and moral decadence.
2. Politicians, seeing an opportunity in mixing politics and culture to create followings. There is a serious failure to realize the disadvantages to this nation in failure to separate politics from culture in this effort in terms of the success rate in achieving what might be a common target defined in different terms. This has grossly confused the people.
3. Social media has done a lot of damage in terms of definitions of terms, ideas, facts, and on-the -ground scenarios and dynamics. Whilst as platforms of debate and discussion and awareness building social media has played its role, it has almost become fronts for identifying the Heir to the throne and places where untold ignorance of facts are exhibited, but having such untold influence in thought and understanding processes to readers.
4. Some Khumalo Clan members trying all possible ways to divide King Lobengula's House in the name of being elders, but not descendants of Lobengula and without King Lobengula's House seconding representatives into their meetings. They come up with all sorts of historical stories and try to isolate some family members promising them that they are the rightful Heirs to the King Lobengula throne much the same way Colonialists divided the House to ensure that the Ndebele Monarch was never revived.
Conclusion
The position of the House on most of these is that we will not run their race. We appeal to people to make the right judgments. Most of the happenings around these claimants seem to reveal that they are projects designed to scuttle the correct process of identifying the Heir to King Lobengula's throne and enacting the Royal Monarch. Now that King Lobengula's House has come out clearly that it is taking up its rightful leadership role, the message should be loud enough that the social, cultural, political and economic demise of Umthwakazi is coming to an end and the people will soon celebrate having a King that owns and controls the use of the local resources for the benefit of all the people of diverse nationalities in Matabeleland.
Venue: Bulawayo
Taking into account of the fact that on the 4th December, 1893 darkness fell over the Umthwakazi or Ndebele nation when their King, King Lobengula disappeared and that on the 25th June, 1896, Prince Nyamande Khumalo was installed as a King, but the colonialists banished him to the Bembesi Forest after he had refused to denounce Kingship and accept their offer that he be a Paramount Chief of Bulawayo; in recognition of all the efforts made by Njube, Nguboyenja and other royal members and the Ndebele nation to revive, their Monarch system and very bitter about the fact that progressive regimes thereafter have suppressed all the efforts to revive our Kingship, King Lobengula family with immediate effect takes cultural Royal leadership of the Umthwakazi nation. This provides a rallying point and the beginning of providing a public response to the long awaited re-enactment of the Ndebele Monarch.
As per the resolution of the Meeting at Amakhosi Theatre on the 6 November, 1997, King Lobengula's House is the one to identify the Heir to the throne and submit the heir to the Chiefs who are to make an announcement to the public and prepare for the installation of the King. The above stated declaration is thus an important message to the Ndebele nation and it is important to understand what it means.
The Guiding Principles are that:
1. Humanity - we are a people and have UBUNTU.
2. We originate as a nation of over 20 diverse ethnic groups from the past of good things and we have the right to pick on them and use them positively for the nation.
3. We stand firmly representing the social, economic, political interests of the Umthwakazi nation, but will not participate in Party politics.
4. We will execute our cultural observances without fear in the same way as done by our forefathers.
5. We, as a nation remain united among ourselves and not against anyone.
6. All cultures are equal and should be practiced unhindered.
7. Umthwakazi and all those within the area of the King's jurisdiction should control and benefit from their resources first.
8. The King shall be custodian of the land and other resources.
9. Live in harmony with their neighbours.
10. Re examine the traditional structure and redress anomalies some of which have been created by progressive governments.
11. Part of a second majority in Africa and part of a majority in the SADC Region and as such the nation has to be exemplary in cultural leadership.
Vision:
The King Lobengula Royal family envisages:
a people's cultural Monarch system that should lead all the people paying allegiance to the institution in enjoying the control and benefits of local resources and assets within the Kingdom for their livelihood and welfare.
Leadership Style:
The leadership pillars adopted by King Lobengula's House is one of;
a) Accountability
b) Consultation
c) Collective ethic
d) Inspiration
Courage in the leadership will instill discipline and focus towards our targets. Wisdom will remain the key to making the right decisions and choices on behalf of Umthwakazi nation. The ability to bring people together and inclusivity will create solidarity embedded on common passions or interests towards achieving our set objectives.
Revival of the Monarch
This is a process that has stretched for a very long time but it is nearing completion. King Lobengula appeals to the nation to continue with their patience. The family is aware of the burning desire to have a King now, but the family cannot afford to make mistakes in reconstructing this institution because they are trying to meet targets set outside the process. Mistakes that can be made now will be impossible to repair and we will have a deformed institution. The family in leadership assures the Ndebele nation that what appears as delays are a result of efforts to come up with a product that spurns pride among us and we can justify. Short cuts are not the answer. The above leadership declaration is a major step that it should be telling us all that we are almost there. It is not the mandate for the family to announce to the nation the Heir to the throne. The family will inform stakeholders and the Chiefs who are the custodians of our culture. Cautious not to speak for them, their expectation and what is going to happen is that they will only entertain details coming through the family. Any submission from outside the King Lobengula family is considered an improper shortcut. This guideline is to be observed by the rest of the other Khumalo Clan members who should avoid dividing King Lobengula's House by identifying the House within it that has the Heir or identifying the Heir to the throne when they have not been involved in the process.
The Framework:
King Lobengula's House, the Royal House, tables this roadmap towards completing the exercise of re-enacting the Ndebele Monarch.
1. King Lobengula House assumes its cultural leadership position to start the ball rolling.
2. Uniting the Umthwakazi nation. An instrument is in place in which the objectives of the existence of the Institution are clearly tabulated and the nation will rally around this instrument for social, economic and cultural well-being.
3. An identity emblem has been produced and that should be circulated soon for comments and finalization.
4. Handing over the Heir to the throne to the Chiefs and then processing the announcement and installation.
5. Separating Commemorations with the installation of the King.
6. Advocacy - continuous consultations with stakeholders.
7. Establishing structures on the Zulu Royal institution.
8. Coronation.
9. Live in harmony with their neighbours.
10. Re examine the traditional structure and redress anomalies some of which have been created by progressive governments.
11. Part of a second majority in Africa and part of a majority in the SADC Region and as such the nation has to be exemplary in cultural leadership.
Umthwakazi is requested to note that the House is not privy to give excessive details on certain aspects as there are enemies of the process of the re-establishment of the Monarch system of this nation on the waiting.
Challenges:
The whole process of the revival of the Umthwakazi Monarch has not been easy particularly due to the vacuum that has existed since 1800s without a King. The nation was dispersed and there was a loss and destruction of our culture by colonial governments and our African government has not done anything to assist to mend the situation.
1. Imposters of the King. This has been going on for many years culminating into recent events in which we have had people changing surnames to Khumalo and making a lot of public claims of birthrights. Most of them talk of spiritual guidance (either ancestral or Christian beliefs).Some have exhibited immeasurable levels of derision of grandeur and moral decadence.
2. Politicians, seeing an opportunity in mixing politics and culture to create followings. There is a serious failure to realize the disadvantages to this nation in failure to separate politics from culture in this effort in terms of the success rate in achieving what might be a common target defined in different terms. This has grossly confused the people.
3. Social media has done a lot of damage in terms of definitions of terms, ideas, facts, and on-the -ground scenarios and dynamics. Whilst as platforms of debate and discussion and awareness building social media has played its role, it has almost become fronts for identifying the Heir to the throne and places where untold ignorance of facts are exhibited, but having such untold influence in thought and understanding processes to readers.
4. Some Khumalo Clan members trying all possible ways to divide King Lobengula's House in the name of being elders, but not descendants of Lobengula and without King Lobengula's House seconding representatives into their meetings. They come up with all sorts of historical stories and try to isolate some family members promising them that they are the rightful Heirs to the King Lobengula throne much the same way Colonialists divided the House to ensure that the Ndebele Monarch was never revived.
Conclusion
The position of the House on most of these is that we will not run their race. We appeal to people to make the right judgments. Most of the happenings around these claimants seem to reveal that they are projects designed to scuttle the correct process of identifying the Heir to King Lobengula's throne and enacting the Royal Monarch. Now that King Lobengula's House has come out clearly that it is taking up its rightful leadership role, the message should be loud enough that the social, cultural, political and economic demise of Umthwakazi is coming to an end and the people will soon celebrate having a King that owns and controls the use of the local resources for the benefit of all the people of diverse nationalities in Matabeleland.
Source - Agencies
