Chief Tshovani
Beatific Gumbwanda
CHIREDZI – The feud between the newly-selected Chief Neromwe and the reigning Chief Tshovani played out publicly at district heroes’ shrine in Chitsanga after the former was displeased by the latter being addressed as chief.
Chief Tshovani does not recognise the recently revived Neromwe chieftaincy and has instituted legal proceedings to have the new Chief Neromwe, Clemence Madzingo removed.
He also wants the Neromwe throne abolished altogether.
Madzingo, a former Zvimba Rural District councillor, was selected substantive chief in August 2017, much to the displeasure of Tshovani who complains that he lost vast lands, including wards 17, 26, 28 and 29, to the revived chieftaincy.
On Heroes’ Day, the presence of traditional leaders was acknowledged, with Madzingo being given his own traditional salutations like everybody else.
This, however, angered Chief Tshovani, born Hlaisi Mundau, who then stormed out of the venue and left the place in a huff soon after proceeding had begun.
Chief Tshovani’s induna, Chirhirhele Macheke later complained bitterly in an interview with TellZim News, saying Xangani people were being disrespected.
He said they had started the day well; going to the shrine to perform the cultural Xangani rituals for the dead but the peace began to unravel later on wile at the District Administrator (DA)’s office where they had gone for briefings.
“We went for a briefing at the DA’s office where they announced that Neromwe had donated a beast for the commemorations. What angered Chief Tshovani the most, however, is that Neromwe was being addressed as chief when everybody knows that his issue is before the courts and when they fully knew that we were there.
“The current Chief Tshovani is the 12th chief and we have never heard of any other outsider being chief in our area. Neromwe just popped out from nowhere claiming his chieftaincy and we filed a court case challenging that. He should therefore not be addressed as chief until the matter is resolved,” said Macheke.
Archives at the DA’s office show that the Neromwe chieftainship became extinct in 1908 when its land, which lies between Chiredzi River to the East, Mutirikwi and Runde River to the South and West, as well as Musiwidzi River to the North, was seized and declared a European area.
Neromwe people are Karanga of Gumbo Madyirapazhe totem, and their roots can be traced back to Gutu district where their kith and kin are in charge. Tshovani people, on the other hand, are Xangani (Tsonga), who are found mostly in Mwenezi and Chiredzi, going into some parts of Mozambique and South Africa.local