Decade-long Hwange chieftaincy wrangle ends with Mlotshwa's appointment

The protracted succession battle over the Mvuthu chieftaincy in Hwange District has finally come to an end following the appointment of 29-year-old Silibaziso Mlotshwa as the substantive Chief Mvuthu. Her appointment by President Emmerson Mnangagwa marks a historic moment for traditional leadership in Zimbabwe, as she becomes one of the few women to ascend to chieftaincy in the country.

The appointment, which took effect on May 16, 2025, was confirmed in a letter from the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works addressed to the Acting Director for Local Government Services in Matabeleland North Province. It was made in accordance with Section 283 (a)(i) of the Constitution of Zimbabwe, read together with Sections 3 (1) and (2) of the Traditional Leaders Act (Chapter 29:17). The letter directed officials to inform the newly appointed chief, facilitate the payment of her allowances, and arrange for her official installation.

The installation of Chief Mvuthu is expected soon and will mark a new era of leadership for communities under the Mvuthu chieftaincy, located just outside the resort town of Victoria Falls. The chieftaincy had remained vacant since March 2014 following the death of Chief Nyangayezizwe Mlotshwa at the age of 61. In the interim, Headman Bishop Matata Sibanda had served as Acting Chief while tensions simmered within the Mvuthu family over the rightful successor.

Ms Mlotshwa, one of the late chief's three daughters, faced strong resistance from some family members who argued that traditional Nguni customs did not allow women to become chiefs. In December 2014, the family nominated the late chief's brother, Sanders Mlotshwa, to assume the role. Silibaziso challenged the nomination in the High Court, asserting that she was the legitimate heir to her father's throne.

The court ruled in her favour, nullifying the nomination of Sanders Mlotshwa and ordering the Hwange District Development Coordinator to begin a fresh selection process in accordance with the Constitution's principles of gender equality and human rights. In 2020, the Chiefs Council sent a three-member delegation comprising Chief Sikhobokhobo of Nkayi, Chief Nekatambe of Hwange, and Chief Tategulu of Tsholotsho to engage with the Mvuthu family and assess the situation. Following their intervention, the Matabeleland North Provincial Chiefs Assembly recommended Silibaziso Mlotshwa as a suitable and rightful successor.

Her appointment brings her into a small but growing circle of female traditional leaders in Matabeleland. She joins Regent Chief Mabhikwa Zanele Khumalo of Lupane District, Chief Ndube of Insiza, Chief Mathe of Gwanda, Chief Hikwa of Bulilima, and Chief Mabhena of Umzingwane District.

Silibaziso Mlotshwa's appointment is not only a significant personal victory but also a broader affirmation of constitutional rights and gender inclusion in Zimbabwe's traditional leadership structures. Her ascension ends more than a decade of uncertainty and ushers in a new chapter of leadership for the Mvuthu community.