Nankhumwa irks Yaos over ‘Lhomelisation’: Malawi News says Minister ‘ treading on dangerous ground’

Minister of Local Government and Rural Development Kondwani Nankhumwa – who has ambitions to succeed President Peter Mutharika in power – has been in the headlines for “dangerous mission” for promoting two chiefs from mere village headmen to Traditional Authoriries (TA) in the Yao dominated district of Machinga in a move to expand  Lhomwe influence, triggering anger from the Yaos.

Lhomwe expansion drive: Minister Nankhumwa elevating Makata in Machinga

According to Malawi News report, the elevation of two Lhomwe chiefs, Group Village Headman Saidi Mataka under Mlomba and Group Village Headman Nyumwanyumwa under Chamba in Machinga district has angered the Yao people, a development which is likely to trigger enmity between the two tribes.

“At the end of the day, this is an attempt by a government that has decided to act tribal in order to achieve political expediency, pushing through its strategy without thinking about its ramifications as it tries to create more influence for its most loved chief—Ngolongoliwa,” the newspaper said in its editorial comment.

A Yao grouping called Chiwanja cha Yao feels the move is the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) ploy to increase its chances of having followers in the Yao territory – Eastern Region.

“I want to sound a warning to whoever is mismatching the elevation. Let us not create a situation like that in Rwanda. People are reacting because there was no thorough consultation. This is why Kamuzu didn’t promote cultural groupings…he believed in unity, he had a vision. As a country, where are we drifting to? Let politics be politics and cultural practices should be left alone,” said Chairman for Chiwanja cha Yao, Mackennedy Yasini as quoted by Malawi News.

The papers editorial said every  village in Malawi has its history that defines who is senior and who is not and the same applies to Machinga where the Peter Mutharika administration is trying to upset it all.

“No government since the colonial times has succeeded in changing these dynamics and structures using raw political power. Nankhumwa and DPP might think the move is putting them at an advantage politically. It is not, as what they are doing is pitting the few Lhomwe chiefs in Machinga against the majority ones that belong to the Lhomwe tribe.
That, in our book, is treading on dangerous ground. Worse still, it is an attempt to destabilize Malawi based on tribal lines,” the paper said.

Yao Paramount Chief Kawinga is said to have been bulldozed  to elevate the two Lhomwe group village heads.

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Alfred Minjo
Alfred Minjo
6 years ago

Media media media at it again. The media fraternity is the one that fueled the Rwanda genocide! Please go to hell with your hatred news!!!!

MMalawi Waku Mudzi
MMalawi Waku Mudzi
6 years ago

I cry for Malawi…… Where is Malawi going with DPP? Kwatsala nkumva kuti T/A Masumbunkhunda naye ndi Mulomwe, kenako Paramount Kyungu ndi Mulomwe. I think this DPP govt has to go before we see and experience worse than what we are seeing and experiencing now. So, God help us in Malawi.

Banda
Banda
6 years ago

Malawi News fueling misunderstandings and tribal hatred again. Is TA Bvumbwe (a Ngoni) a chief in Ngoni land? Did the Lhomwe’s in Thyolo feel bad about his elevation? Why is the media always politicising things? Mwasowa zonenena eti?

mafumu
mafumu
6 years ago

ayao kupepera. chipani mwagulitsa dzikoso mwagulitsa

Bryton
6 years ago

Iam instructing all my relatives to never vote dpp and udf again. Muluzi has been lying for quite sometime that he is yao but not. His actions since indipendency has demonstrated that. Yaos have been victiims in all the regimes (mcp(implemented non conducive education policies to Yao), udf (eliminated all potential yaos by killing them, Nakanga, chizumira, karonga stambuli, makhumula and many) and dpp implemented kudzigulira malo project and transfer lomwe to yao areas despite the high population in these areas instead of transfering them to north, only lomwes are So my fellow yaos let us look for an alternative… Read more »

Gulukunye
Gulukunye
6 years ago

Musakwiyitse ayao chonde. We welcomed you in our land when you left Mozambique in 1890. Nzoonadi mwambi wa chisoni chinapha nkhwali. You have elevated a village headman ngolongoliwa to paramouncy that is not our problem. But leave our territory

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