Pandemonium at Chief Chivero's village court

There was mayhem at Chief Chivero's village court in Chingwere (Mhondoro) yesterday where self-imposed Chief Chivero, Cornelious Chengera was humiliated by his family members who claim he is not an eligible chief, as the chieftainship wrangle rages on.

Armed energetic family members from the Chivero royal clan pounced on Chengera who was addressing some village heads, disrupted the meeting and ordered everyone to vacate.



The village heads ran in different directions to seek refuge for their dear lives when furious family members arrived and police had to run away for a few meters before gathering courage to contain the situation.

Speaking at his nearby hide-out after seeking refuge from the fuming chieftaincy members, one of the village heads blamed some elements within the government who controversially reversed the ascension of Tendai Chitinhe, whom many believed is the right heir to the throne.

"We blame the responsible authorities in the government who dictate and handpick a candidate who is not the rightful heir to Chivero Chieftaincy. After all traditional customs, ascension procedures and rites were done, several chiefs and members of the royal family appointed and endorsed Tendai Chitinhe," the Village head said.

"The family, village heads and other Chiefs were surprised to see Chengera being endorsed onto them during the covid-19 era. Despite the fact that everyone had endorsed Tendai Chitinhe as our Chief, we were forced to submit to the wrong candidate," he added.

"We appeal to the government to address this because everyone is not happy about being led by a candidate who has been disowned by family members so why should it fold hands when there is a tense fight?, We suspect that money exchange hands which caused the reversal of Chitinhe's candidature especially within the ranks of the Local governance Ministry," he said.

Meanwhile, members of the Chivero chieftainship have appealed for the government to consider their choice and install Chitinhe as their candidate whose name was unanimously endorsed, confirmed and forwarded to their offices.

"We are kindly requesting all responsible authorities to consider and respect our choice which was done according to our traditional values and principles of selection which adhere to ascension by means of rotation and endorsement from our royal family. There is no need to dictate an alien canditure, its violation of our internal process for chosing, appointing and installing chiefs," Musiiwa Chakuchichi who is one of the family installers said.

"We choose and appoint Chitinhe who is from the Madzorera house and that is what we need to see prevailing not Chengera. He has his duties well known within the Chivero chieftaincy, he should serve as a go-between (Munyai) for the chieftaincy not leading, but facilitating," Chakuchichi added.

"When we heard that the authorities had confirmed the appointment of Chief Chivero, we were thinking they used the papers which we forwarded to them, but were surprised to see Chengera. He is not the candidature for chieftaincy, and we want that to be clear," Chakuchichi said.

Erick Chakupa of the Wasvosva sub-house has claimed that dictating Chengera on their chieftaincy has brought misery and unfortunate circumstances within their area including hunger and suffering.

"His forced installation on us is unfortunate. We are suffering from hunger and starvation in Mhondoro because of his ascension to the chieftaincy through corrupt means," Chakupa said.

"Some of our traditional ceremonies are not bearing fruits because our ancestral spirits are angry. They cannot continue punishing us because of someone who is forced on us without our confirmation and endorsement, let us respect the rotational ascension which we used to do as the Chivero chieftaincy," Chakupa said.

According to the Chivero chieftaincy, there are major sub-houses where leadership is assumed through selection on rotational basis and it is done through the installer (Samagadza) amongst the Wasvosva, Chivare and Madzorera families.

The late Chief Chivero, Mateo Chipashu was from the Chivare house and he will be represented by Gambiza when it is their turn.

With chieftaincy fell vacant after the death of Chipashu, it was now the turn for the Madzorera family to be represented by Tendai Chitinhe.