Maravi

(TIMES) East traditional leader, son clash in succession wrangle

East traditional leader, son clash in succession wrangle
By DAVIS MATAKA

CHIEFTAINESS Mwanjawantu, Christina Nyalungale Banda, has openly clashed with her son, Yosam Banda, after he moved into the palace with his wife and declared himself heir to the throne. The deepening succession wrangle came to a head In Petauke yesterday after Mr Banda called a meeting of headmen to explain his action at the palace grounds when another faction of his brothers and sisters accosted him and attempted to disrupt the talks.

There was confusion, jostling, and hurling of insults between the factions as a sizeable number of headmen attempted to restrain the chieftainess, her son, January, and Mr Banda from inflicting injuries on one another.

Earlier, the headmen had a tough time in stopping the chieftainess from making running commentaries as her son propounded his vision for the area, which has been embroiled in wrangles for the past five years.

The chieftainess repeatedly declared that only her son, Leonard, was the right Mwanjawantu.

The Ntumvi, Steven Lungu, who is the official installer of the Mwanjawantu, was also shouted down by the chieftainess when he declared that Mr Banda was correctly installed in a traditional ceremony as heir to the uncle Winford Lungu, the late Mwanjawantu.

On Friday, when Mr Banda moved into the palace, the chieftainess parked her bags and travelled 60 kilometres to the boma for fear that her son would harm her and returned the following day after assurance of her safety.

According to Nsenga tradition, only nephews of a serving chief could take over the throne.
But according to Mr Banda, controversy started 25 years ago.

And during the illness of Dr Lungu, the chieftainess was asked to sit in as a caretaker but had since then allegedly refused to relinquish power.

Mr Banda added that the matter took another twist for the worst when Government gazetted his brother living in the United States for 14 years as Chief Mwanjawantu after his mother and some followers made recommendations to authorities.

Mr Banda said the installation of a Nsenga chief was only conducted after numerous physical rituals and exercises.

He claimed that was never done for his brother and that as far as he was concerned he was the rightful heir to the throne because he was officially installed by the Ntumvi unlike his brother, Leonard, who never attended the funeral of his late uncle.

Mr Banda declared that he had no quarrel with the Government gazetting his brother in the USA because all the problems were a creation of his mother.

“I have no quarrel with Government, they have not flouted any traditional law. The quarrel is with my family because they have been feeding Government with wrong details.

“What is at stake here is the Nsenga culture and traditions which have been eroded due to selfish people and this cannot be tolerated,” he said.

Mr Banda added that it was not correct to have an absentee chief for the area for a long time and that if his brother was interested in the chiefdom, he should immediately come and take his rightful position.

He said he would not allow his mother to continue in an acting position and that if she insisted on acting there would be two acting chiefs, himself and his mother.

When contacted for a comment, his USA-based brother assured that he would soon visit the country to appraise himself with the wrangles and make his stand known.
He also declared that he was the true Chief Mwanjawantu.

The chieftainess, in an interview, declared that her younger son was the anointed one who would take over the throne once he returned.

And in a separate interview, Nsenga Cultural Association chairperson, Ferdinand Banda, said he was aware of the problems in the Nsenga clan and that something needed to be done.

All chiefdoms in the area — Kalindawalo Sandwe, Nyampande, and Mwajawantu — have been fraught with numerous succession wrangles.

Labels: CHIEFS, EASTERN PROVINCE

posted by MrK @ 11:16 PM