By Titos Makondo
On August 20, Hanyani Zava was officially crowned as Chief Mpapa at a ceremony steered by the Deputy Minister for Local Government and Public Works, Hon Mirriam Chombo in Chikombedzi, Chiredzi South.
This after a string of family tensions over who should wear the shoes of Chief Mpapa who died 15 years ago. Mpapa was one among the chiefs who were feather – plucked to be Headmen by the White Regime in 1928.
It’s said that the Mpapa family have been in tribunals, trying to stop the internal squabbles and appoint the successor. Still, they couldn’t get close to an agreement until the dawn of the chief’s corronation day.
Some family members accussed Chiredzi DA Lovemore Chisema of ruling in favor of Zava. These members who were against the installation of Zava as a Chief were barred from attending the ceremony.
Edson Mavhavaza, one of them showed up by storm. When the DA commanded him to leave, he refused, and a war of words started, which did not end well.
They pair shove each other while signaling to lock horns. Wildly angry Mavhavaza punched a hammer fist, which send the DA to the dust. The police officers restored order for the propagation of the rite.
Mavhavaza, who couldn’t stay to see the ceremony’s hatch phase said, ” The ruling party planted Zava as Chief without our approval as family members.”
A member of Makhese family, part of the Mpapa family tree, who asked to hide his identity for safety reasons gossiped to this publication that Simon Chauke Makhese was supposed to be the next Chief, adding that Zava grabbed the coronet through diplomacy.
Anonymous said, “After the death of Chief Mpapa, Makhese was set to take over the chieftainship, he rejected an offer citing that he was grown up.”
“He then handed over the stick to his young brother, famously nicknamed as Chirambadare, a decision which didn’t sit well with his sons who insisted their dad to take in. This marked the genesis of family battles which stayed unresolved for many years.
“While the Makhese family locked horns, Zava organised himself and grab the crown through engaging with the local government officials,” Anonymous explained.
Anonymous added, “There’s no wrong in Zava being a chief because he is the biological son of Mpapa too. Makhese family must accept that they squandered time in quarrels – it’s his turn, give him peace of mind.”
An attempt to acquire the DA’s side of the story went in vain as he couldn’t revert back in time.