By TellZim News Reporter
A bitter dispute over chieftaincy was brewing for some time in Zaka District. The appointment of a new Chief, Oswell Maguta of the Baramanza family as Chief Nyakunhuwa had sparked outrage among the five houses which claim to have a legitimate claim to the throne of Nyakunhuwa.
In a letter seen by TellZim News, dated 14 July 2025, addressed to a Mr Magwaza and others from Zimudzi and Associates Legal Practitioners, the High Court granted their application for condonation of the late filing technicality.
The development means those who oppose the appointment are now able to wedge their legal battle against Maguta which was once dismissed over a late entry technicality.
“We write to advise that the High Court, Masvingo granted your application for condonation for late filing of an application for review. The next step is to file the application for review within 15 days and we propose that we meet at our offices on the 16th July 2025 at 1200 hours to discuss the matter and map the way forward,” read the letter.
The five houses namely Mutsvangwa, Mutonhori, Mututuvare, Murembwa, and claim to have been the rightful claimants to the throne since the formation of the chieftaincy.
The Nyakunhuwa chieftaincy derives its name from the heroics of a highly-decorated strategist and military genius named Chamagwenjere, who defied his health ailments to establish his own territory.
Despite his wounds oozing worms and producing an unbearable smell, Chamagwenjere soldiered on, earning the moniker Nyakunhuwa. Legend says that Chamagwenjere fought tirelessly to build his territory and believed that his brothers and cousins, who did not partake in his struggles, should not share in the spoils.
The five houses argue that Chamagwenjere, son of Donoro, established a ruling class that should remain within his lineage. Donoro’s brother, Muyengwa, is said to be the forefather of the Baramanza clan, which, according to the five houses, has no legitimate right to the throne.
They argued that, historically, only the five houses have enjoyed turns to the throne, and a Baramanza ascendency was the first time the chieftainship has gone out of these houses that’s why they were challenging it.
They said after Chamagwenjere’s death, the throne went to Mukazi of the Murembwa family, then to Matorevhu of the Machingambi family, who held it until 1920.
The chieftainship remained in the Machingambi family under Mafuratidze until 1941 and Mashawi until 1944.
Chiwoniwoni from the Mutsvangwa family took over until 1971, followed by Zimunga from the Machingambi family and Dzviti from the Mututuvare family.
The most recent ruler from the five houses was Mashavave from the Machingambi family, who reigned until his death in 2015.
The disgruntled families claim that archival material shows that the Mutonhori family has never held the chieftainship so it was the house’s turn to sit on the throne.
With this historical background, the claimants are determined to fight for what they believe is rightfully theirs. The dispute had made its way to the High Court, where the claimants had challenged the installation of the Chief.
