By Meditation Mposi
Chiefs Musara and Chikwanda boundary dispute is still on with the two Chiefs’ subordinates clashing at a funeral recently and the matter was heard at Masvingo Magistrate’s court.
The incident involved one of Chief Musara’s aides, Langton Gozo and Alois Chikwanda who is from the Chikwanda clan.
Alois was dragged to court for impersonating Chief Chikwanda after he gave a speech at a funeral on behalf of Chief Chikwanda in Chief Musara’s area.
Alois appeared before Magistrate Cathrine Tafira on September 30 and pleaded not guilty before he was acquitted
It was a state’s case that on August 15, 2024 there was a funeral in Musara Village under chief Musara.
Gozo and Chikwanda both attended the funeral and during proceedings, when it was time for the chief to speak, Gozo who was standing in for Chief Musara wanted to address mourners but Chikwanda stood first and addressed as Chief.
He threatened to assault the complainant and insulted him saying he would chase Gozo from the area.
In his defense, Chikwanda said there was already a conflict between Chief Chikwanda and Chief Musara and he had an issue with Chief Musara not Gozo whom he said he never saw at the funeral.
He went on to claim that the director of ceremonies said since Chief Chikwanda was not there, he would represent him as he is from the same clan.
The dispute between Chief Musara and Chief Chikwanda rages from 2013 when Musara was declared chief by the late former President Robert Mugabe and since then, there have been clashes between their people.
Sometime in 2015 Chief Chikwanda was warned and asked to respect the boundary and resuscitation of the Musara Chieftaincy.
In 2018, Chief Musara was appointed substantive chief by the High Court and Chief Chikwanda disputed the decision saying ward 13 fell in his area.
Sometime in 2022, Chief Musara dragged Chief Chikwanda’s aide for undermining his authority. The aide was said to have blocked Chief Musara’s representatives from delivering speeches at funerals saying the area was not Chief Musara’s hence he had no right to speak.
The incident is not peculiar to Musara and Chikwanda, the same happens in Murinye and Mugabe areas where the two clash at funerals.
Charumbira and Bere also clash at funerals since the resuscitation of Bere and Nemamwa chieftaincy.
