Legal expert downplays Paramount Kyungu’s supremacy claim over Chitipa
A renowned legal expert, Justin Kusamba Dzonzi, has concurred with a High Court ruling that Paramount Chief Kyungu has no authority to poke his nose in the business of the Traditional Authority (TA) Mwaulambia chieftaincy.
High Court Judge Charles Mkandawire nullified Godwin Officer Nyondo as TA Mwaulambia, saying he was appointed without following the right procedures.
Apparently, Kyungu and Senior Chief Kameme—cousin to Kyungu—had favored the appointment of Officer, and not Watson Nyondo, who was also an eligible candidate.
Instead, Mkandawire had ordered that the two families of the Nyondos, who are the Mwaulambias, sit down within 30 days to elect a new chief.
But Kyungu took to the media last week saying that Judge Mkandawire has “no right” to interfere with his chieftaincy.
At a chief’s council meeting in Karonga where chiefs from both districts attended, Kameme insisted that Kyungu was superior for both districts combined.
At the meeting where the media was also invited, the chiefs’ council said it would seek the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs legal opinion on the matter.
But Dzonzi, who has served the Malawi Human Rights Commission (MHRC) and is executive director of Justice Link, said Kyungu’s authority was within Karonga.
“According to the Chiefs Act (3), no chief’s jurisdiction extends to another district,” said Dzonzi.
And registrar of the High Court, Agnes Patemba, corroborated with Dzonzi on Kyungu’s supremacy being for Karonga only
so if its true that no chief supremency extends to beyond one district, how come the Lhomwe paramount chief has supremancy over people of Thyolo, Mulanje, and Phalombe? How is paramount chief kawinga of yao a supreme cheif of yaos of mangochi, machinga, balaka, zomba? The law are fawled. i think it should considered the people of the area.
Not the whole Karonga,From Gumi to mbeya in Tanzania. South karonga must be under chikulamayembe.If we look back at history Chitipa and Karonga was on
Please, I agree with learned Judges Mkandawire and Dzonzi, when did Kyungu have influence in Chitipa, he has no powers over chiefs in Chitipa. Kameme and the current Kyungu are cousins, so Kameme wants Kyungu to rule even in Chitipa. No, no! Since my youth this is first time to hear that Kyungus power extends into Chitipa. What can solve this issue is the history. Let’s dig our history and see if it is true. Don’t just impose things. The tumbukas in Nthalire and Wenya are quite different with Ngondes. I can agree if the tumbuka in Nthalire can say… Read more »
Our Kyungu has all of a sudden become power hungry. I think DPP has spoiled him. Maybe he should consult his comrades in mediocrity and praise singing, I.e Lundu and Lukwa.
Traditionally, before districts were born, Kyungu has jurisdiction over both Chitipa and Karonga royal families. He is supreme traditionally. So if we follow traditional law for Karonga / Chitipa chieftains, Kyungu is right.
Kyushu, slow down! You’re too much into politics.
Traditionally, Chief Kyungu’s supremacy extends even to parts if Tanzania and Zambia and not only Xhitipa. Zanu za azunguzo fotseki. Ife oChewa timayang’ana kwa Gawa Undi yemwe ndi mfumu ya oChewa onse kuno ku Malawi komanso onse a ku Mozambique ndi ku Zambia. Popita ku Kulamba annual ceremonies sititenganso passport, ka pepala chabe kosonyeza kuti ndiwe wa Gawa Undi kamakwanira kulowa nayiko atatu Malawi-Mozambiwue-Zambia. Ndiye Chitipa district ngati kuli anthu womwe mfumu yawo yayikulu bdu Kyungu, Kyungu yo ali ndi mphavu zoyendetsera ufumy wake m’maboma awiriwa. Koma ma lawyer a ku Malawi.!?? Amangokhulupilira za m’bukhu basi. Pofuna vata ndi mtendere,… Read more »
oChewa munaionera patali dala bwenzi mulikutikitidwa ku katangauko
True chieftaincy should go with related tribes.if there are Ngondes in Chitipa Kyungu should not be denied but he can not claim chieftaincy over Tumbukas if there any in Chitipa. Other than King Gawa Undi Kalonga being the over all for Chewas, in Malawi Lundu is more senior because he is the brother to Undi together with Tengani in Nsanje who by now feel they are Senas.His other relatives are around Mpemba/Chadzunda area in BT and others in Thyolo,Mulanje Ntheu/the Changamire group that went to MOZAMBIQUE up to central region.Bvumbwe in Thyolo is Ngoni of Maseko etc.Mulanje also has Chewas… Read more »
A Kyungu ndi ana nonse a dad dziwani kuti zinthu zili ndimalire makamaka zochita mosimbwa. Kaya pa 21May pano kaya.
It is very correct that Kyungu’s authority has always been within Karonga all along.The old Themba Nthalire, Mwenewenya,Mwaulambia and others have never been under Kyungu.This Mutchona Kyungu MUST know this, his association with his fellow mutchonas should not confuse the Chtipa chieftancy.Kyungu is a Ngonde and there are no ngondes in any part of Chitipa.period The people of Chitipa are very different from those of Karonga by tribes, culture and even languages.People in Nthalire, Wenya, Chisenga, Misuku ,Chinunkha and Kameme cannot speak Chingonde so how can they be under a Ngonde speaking chief. Msukwas of Misuku,Nyondos of Chinunkha,Kawonga’ of Nthalire… Read more »
Too simplistic. It is more complicated than simply looking at languages or tribes!!’
Traditionally, no Chewa chief has authority over Yao chief, No Ngoni chief has authority over Ngonde chief etc. It might be the case that a chief settled in an area which historically was under the influence of a certain chief but that doesn’t make them under an authority of that Chief. Thus far, the two chewa TAs there are in Mangochi for example do not report to the Yaos paramount chief. They report to their Chewa paramount chife
Gule watha , Ng’oma alanda anuwake