Minister Nankhumwa escapes mob attack in Nkhatabay

Angry villagers from the area of Traditional Authority (TA) Mankhambila in Nkhatabay, on Tuesday stormed the District Commissioner’s office demanding the Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Kondwani Nankhumwa to stop elevating Baden Chakwanika to the position of TA Mankhambila or face bloodshed.

Nankhumwa warned of bloodshed

The villagers accused Nankhumwa  of politicising the chieftaincy by not following their cultural procedure of elevating someone to the position.

The mob who  are the sympathisers of acting T/A, Harry Makwakwata argued that the elevation process doesnot follow blood lineage but rather a royal family which has majority members.

Nyasa Times understand that the Mankhambila chieftaincy has been under dispute for some time, with one of the claimants, Makwakwata, taking the matter to court.

”We will not let anyone interfere in this chieftaincy. There is something fishy going on and that is why the District Commissioner advised the government to hold the elevation at his offices when it is supposed to be in the village,” one of the protesters, Carnwell Muomba, said.

Speaking to the media, Nankhumwa conceded that proceeding with the installation would have aggravated the situation; hence, the decision to suspend it.

He then bemoaned the rising number of chieftaincy wrangles across the country which, he said, are impacting negatively on development.

According to him, areas where chieftaincy disputes have gone to court, development derails since there is a missing link between communities and the district assembly where development plans are drawn and discussed.

“When matters of succession go to court, they take a long time and the vacancy deprives communities of development opportunities. You should be aware that chiefs sit in the council where decisions are made,” Nankhumwa said.

However, he reiterated that the government, through his ministry, does not intend to meddle in matters of tradition and thus appealed for contact and dialogue whenever differences arise.

“Traditional leaders are appointed by members of the royal family. It is thus imperative that whenever there are disagreements they should be solved within the royal family amicably,” Nankhumwa said.

This comes few days after the family of Judge Kawonga challenged the ministry over the pending installation of Ackim Kawonga as T/A Nthalire in Chitipa.

Follow and Subscribe Nyasa TV :

Sharing is caring!

Follow us in Twitter
15 Comments
newest
oldest most voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Toka
Toka
6 years ago

Akanachimenya kumene chimenechi

Khwinda
Khwinda
6 years ago
Reply to  Toka

Chimandinyasa hvy chimenechi akanachikhiyadi

James
James
6 years ago

Is our minister serious? When did he know that there are chieftaincy wrangles in Nkhata Bay? Why agree to have elevation at DCs at office? Bwinotu a Nankhumwa.

Ineyo
Ineyo
6 years ago
Reply to  James

Don’t blame or hate the minister coz everything said in the story is a lie

Poda
Poda
6 years ago
Reply to  Ineyo

@ ineyo
Damn you . can you tell your minister to return to capital hill where he has to attend to policy issues requiring his attention and action instead of galavanting and criss crossing the country doing what would have been done DCs. For God sake what kind ministers does Malawi have that jump at every opportunity to travel, politicking instead of governing and providing leadership. And you blame Trump when he calls you what you are.?. This minister is sick and he has to be schooled on ministerial standards.

Kotoko
Kotoko
6 years ago
Reply to  Poda

Mzanga wangosowa chonena. Can you expect tangible output if all the ministers were glued to their offices 1-30 every year?

Poda
Poda
6 years ago
Reply to  Kotoko

@katoko
If he cannot deliver then why is he there then. Tell me one single benefit that we stand to yield as a nation from the madness of installation /elevation of chiefs?. There is so much work that this so called minister is supposed to be doing at capital hill or other places rather than creating too many traditional authorities who have simply become such a nuisance and irrelevant . You are the kind of people that make our country what trump called us. Write again

mjiba
mjiba
6 years ago

Ndikazakhala Pulezidenti was dziko lino ndizathetsa za ma ufumu.

Becks
Becks
6 years ago
Reply to  mjiba

I second

Anti-Trump
Anti-Trump
6 years ago
Reply to  mjiba

Zoona a Mjiba. Ufumu ndi zaka zino zizigwirizana. Zathetseni ndithu…

hahaha
hahaha
6 years ago

Rising chieftaincy disputes is because of political interference in traditional affairs

wakikiki
6 years ago
Reply to  hahaha

that is true , ufumu unali wa pamtundu koma panopa ndi wa chipani, zachisoni kwambiri

Awize
Awize
6 years ago
Reply to  hahaha

Plenty of benefits and easy money +corruption in the chieftainship, that’s why anthu akukanganirana ndi kuphana. These matters are draining our limited financial resources. They honoraria (chahala), nkhuku , mbuzi, ng’ombe etc ndiye maumati asiye kukangana. It is much easier for a local leader (Traditional Authority), GVH to get rich particularly when s/he is connected with politicians (ruling party) of the day. Our local leaders are no longer serving their people, they rather serve their masters who crowned them. Its pity and shameful.

mzondi moyo
mzondi moyo
6 years ago
Reply to  hahaha

Facts of the matter are that on this particular day the minister had no planned activity on the installation of Mr Chakwanika as TA Mankhambira. The only planned activities were touring Nkhata Bay market and officially opening Nkhata Bay Bus Depot. The installation activity had been cancelled earlier by the ministry itself upon seeing that despite court ruling quarrels were still going on. The family that had won in court were ready to be installed, even on that day and anywhere, but ministry said installation of chiefs under police escort, or away from TA headquarters, may not be the best… Read more »

mzondi moyo
mzondi moyo
6 years ago
Reply to  hahaha

everything had gone on smoothly on the day. Nothing required the escape.

Read previous post:
Court quashes extra charge of money laundering for Chaponda

The Zomba Chief Resident Magistrate Paul Chiotcha on Wednesday threw out an additional charge of money laundering against former minister...

Close