Elias Musakwa embroiled in chieftainship battle

A fierce succession battle has erupted within the Chinamhora dynasty, with several families moving to block the installation of Richard Jeyi as substantive Chief Chinamhora, arguing that he is not the legitimate heir to the chieftainship of the Shawasha people.

The contested chieftaincy, rooted in the Murewa totem, spans from Chishawasha to Domboshava. At the heart of the dispute is the claim that former Bikita West legislator and gospel musician Elias Musakwa was the rightful nominee, having been endorsed by the Shawasha people during a family meeting held in January 2022.

The conflict has spilled into the courts, effectively stalling Jeyi's coronation, which has now been postponed multiple times amid accusations that officials from the Ministry of Local Government and traditional leaders from Mashonaland East province are imposing Jeyi without proper consultation.

According to minutes from a nomination meeting held on January 28 this year at the Goromonzi Rural District offices, Musakwa was nominated by the Gutu sub-house, which is said to be the eldest lineage eligible for the chieftaincy.

"Chief Chimoyo said according to facts presented, Gutu is the eldest and it was its turn for chieftainship," the minutes read. "Savy Gutu nominated Elias Musakwa to be the next chief because he is the eldest and also knowledgeable. Tafirenyika Musakwa seconded."

However, the Local Government Ministry and other officials proceeded with the nomination of Jeyi, a move that prompted Ignatius Chawasarira, a member of the Chinamhora family, to file an urgent chamber application on January 23 opposing the appointment. In his court papers, he accused authorities of ignoring pending court matters and attempting to steamroll the appointment process.

Chawasarira's application cites several respondents, including Local Government Minister Daniel Garwe, the National Council of Chiefs, the Mashonaland East Provincial Assembly of Chiefs, the Goromonzi District Development Coordinator, President Emmerson Mnangagwa, Lister Chidziva, Elias Musakwa, and Richard Jeyi.

In his application, Chawasarira stated: "The Chinamhora chieftaincy dispute has had a couple of false starts, leading to two nominations, which did not result in an appointment. By another process, the authorities settled on Jeyi, which was contested in cases HCH4303/24 and HCH5121/24 - both pending before this honourable court."

Elias Musakwa also submitted a notice of opposition, aligning with Chawasarira's arguments and insisting that Jeyi's nomination lacked legitimacy.

"There is a hotly contested dispute over who should be the next Chief Chinamhora, and the courts must be allowed to finalise the matter before any action is taken," Musakwa stated.

Minister Garwe, in his response, acknowledged the dispute but said that any aggrieved parties must take their concerns to the President, who, under section 283 of the Constitution, has the ultimate authority to resolve disputes concerning the appointment of chiefs.

The chieftaincy has remained vacant since the death of Chief Simon Goneka on July 23, 2015. As legal wrangling continues, the seat remains unoccupied, deepening tensions within the influential Chinamhora lineage.