Govt rejects Marava's recognition as Chief Mutema

Government has dismissed the recognition of Taurai Marava as Chief Mutema following a traditional ceremony held at Nyunga Village last Saturday, saying due processes have not yet been completed.

Chipinge District Development Coordinator (DDC), William Mashava, said authorities do not recognise Marava as the substantive chief, emphasising that the appointment of traditional leaders is subject to formal government procedures.

"The selection is done by the family under the guidance of the Local Government office. For one to be officially recognised, the process must include all families and the candidate's details must be submitted for approval by the President," Mashava said.

The ceremony, attended by members of the Mutema chieftainship council, village heads and clan spirit mediums, saw Marava being declared the rightful successor to the Mutema chieftainship.

However, Mashava maintained that such recognition remains unofficial until it is sanctioned through state processes.

Headman Maunganidze told Chipinge Times that the decision to recognise Marava was guided by traditional customs and spiritual consultation.

"The spirit told us that if Government refused, it would intervene to ensure that Marava is installed as the new chief," he said.

The Mutema chieftainship has remained vacant for six years following the death of the last substantive chief, Philemon Mutema, in February 2020.

Maunganidze said elders consulted widely with spirit mediums and clan leaders before holding the ceremony.

"When Taurai arrived, we took him to multiple spirit mediums and prophets to verify his claim. All of them confirmed that he is the rightful chief. This was not Taurai's own decision; it was the call of the ancestors," he said.

He added that the process involved verifying Marava's lineage and ensuring adherence to cultural traditions before recognising him.

According to Maunganidze, the clan consulted a spirit medium, Makopa, also known as Mbuya Chananga, from Ngaone. During the ceremony, the spirit of a revered ancestor, Shiriyedenga, was said to have possessed the medium and declared Marava the rightful heir.

The spirit reportedly instructed the community to perform traditional rites, including brewing beer and slaughtering a black cow, and to formally notify acting Chief Mutema, Captain Samutsa, to step down.

It further directed that Marava be presented to the Government for official installation, warning of spiritual intervention should authorities refuse.

Efforts to obtain a comment from acting Chief Mutema, Captain Samutsa, were unsuccessful at the time of publication.