Push for unity among Ndebele Royal claimants

Cultural organisation Umthondo Wesizwe says it has engaged all five claimants to the Ndebele throne in a bid to persuade them to unite under a collective and spiritually guided process to identify the rightful heir to the revived monarchy.

The Ndebele kingship revival, which began nearly a decade ago, has deeply divided the Khumalo royal clan, with five individuals asserting claims to be King Mzilikazi's successor. Two of them - Bulelani Khumalo and Stanely Raphael Tshuma Khumalo - have already been crowned in private ceremonies after government authorities blocked public coronations in Bulawayo.

The other known claimants include Peter Zwide Khumalo and Mcijwana Khumalo, while other royal houses have also hinted at potential heirs.

Speaking in an interview, Umthondo Wesizwe chairperson Ernest Langalitshoni Ncube said that despite the various coronations and public claims, there is still no officially recognised Ndebele King.

"As far as Ndebele society is concerned, there is still no crowned king," Ncube said. "The secrecy and divisions surrounding the selection process have made it impossible to achieve consensus on who the rightful heir is."

To resolve the impasse, the group has proposed that all claimants agree to undergo the Lot process (Inkatho) - a traditional spiritual practice believed to reveal the divinely anointed heir.

"Given the current confusion and division regarding the throne, we have come to realise that only conducting a Lot will resolve the impasse and give us the rightful and spiritually anointed king," said Ncube.

He said Umthondo Wesizwe has already visited all royal houses and claimants, urging them to participate in the process.

"We went to Peter Zwide, and he said the Lot is magic, so he cannot be involved. Bulelani's representative, Bruce, told us they already have their king, and if we want to do the Lot, we can, but they are out of it," he explained.

However, Ncube said Stanely Raphael, as well as representatives from the Nkulumane and Albert houses, agreed to the idea of conducting the Lot.

"Stanely Raphael agreed without any qualms. Since he said he was told by Jesus that he is the king, we explained this is a traditional throne and that the Lot would confirm if he is indeed the rightful heir," Ncube said.

He added that the organisation, formed in 2024, was inspired by the realisation that Mzilikazi's descendants lacked unified traditional leadership, with multiple individuals emerging from the Khumalo clan claiming royal status.

Umthondo Wesizwe has also initiated dialogue with the government, seeking the inclusion of a kingship clause in Zimbabwe's Constitution, which currently does not provide for a monarch - a key reason authorities have refused to recognise the revived Ndebele throne.

"We proposed that it has now been more than 120 years without a king, and we do not know who the rightful heir is," Ncube said. "The Lot will resolve this matter spiritually and once and for all."

Ncube said the group believes that for the true revival of the Ndebele kingship, all Khumalo royal houses must unite under one spiritual process and allow the Lot to determine the legitimate heir, rather than relying solely on lineage or personal claims.

"It is possible that none of the current claimants are anointed," he said. "The Lot will reveal who is truly chosen."

Umthondo Wesizwe says it remains committed to uniting the Mthwakazi people and restoring traditional leadership structures in line with Ndebele cultural values and spiritual heritage.