Man lays claim to chieftainship
A Kadoma man is laying claim to a section of rural Chegutu, saying the area was under his family’s chieftainship before it was expropriated by white colonial settlers.
Mr Richard Mugore (65) has been trying to resuscitate the Chambara chieftainship, which he says was disrupted by colonialists.
Through his lawyers, he has been writing to various departments seeking recourse.
Explaining the history behind his claim, Mr Mugore said a sibling rivalry among his ancestors led to their displacement.
“Chambara was fought by his younger brother and sought refuge under Chief Gutu. He was given land and a wife in the Serima area. However, children of the first wife were left behind. As children born through the first wife, we could not lay claim to the Serima chieftaincy, as those from our house never went to Gutu,” he said.
He says efforts to revive the Chambara chieftaincy in what is modern-day Mashonaland West did not materialise in the 1940s as it coincided with forced evictions by Rhodesians.
In 2015, Mr Mugore started the process to revive the chieftainship and he met obstacles.
“In 2015, Chief Zvimba (paramount chief of the whole Zvimba area) wrote a letter supporting my bid to revive the Chambara chieftainship.
However, somewhere along the way,
he changed his mind, saying our chieftainship is in Gutu,” he said.
A commission established by then Minister of Local Government and Public Works Dr Ignatius Chombo looked into the matter and concluded that Chambara’s family could not lay claim to any chieftainship in the area.
However, Mr Mugore says he continues to pursue the chieftainship because the land in question is where his ancestors’ remains lay.
Mashonaland West Secretary for Provincial Affairs and Devolution Mr Josphat Jaji told The Sunday Mail that his office is aware of issues surrounding the chieftainship, but does not have legal standing to solve them.
“There are issues with the Chambara chieftainship and there have been differences in opinions. However, there is a Provincial Chiefs Assembly which deliberates on issues of this nature,” he said.
Chief Zvimba (Stanley Wurayai Mhondoro) said Mr Mugore is chasing shadows.
“There is no issue here. The Chambaras are part of the Zvimba family, but they moved to Gutu after Chambara was chased by his younger brother Zhanje (Chief Beperere). Chambara’s chieftainship is in Serima. Chief Serima is effectively a Chambara and it is impossible for one family to have two chieftainships at the same time,” he said.
Chief Zvimba added that although the commission was established and put the matter to rest, Mr Mugore also does not have the standing to lay claim to the territory.
“The land Mugore wants is the same land Chief Ngezi is claiming to be his; it is land belonging to the Zvimba people. In any case, this matter was resolved. Chieftainships are not only administrative but also spiritual.
“We consulted spirit mediums and they spoke clearly that Mugore is not in line to be chief. He thinks he can rig the process by going to lawyers? This is a spiritual process,” added Chief Zvimba.
The Sunday Mail understands chiefs in Mashonaland West are set to meet later this month and the issue is expected to be on the agenda