Nankhumwa spearheads Lhomwe expansion in Yao territory
Minister of Local Government and Rural Development , Kondwani Nankhumwa has fuelled the the reported expansion drive of the Lhomwe ethnic grouping by bulldozing Traditional Authorities Chamba and Mlomba of Machinga who refused to cede part of their territories, and pressed Yao Paramount Chief Kawinga where he has elevated group village heads Nyumwanyumwa and Saidi Mataka of Machinga to Sub Traditional Authority (STA) respectively – all Lhomwe chiefs.
The elevation of the two chiefs means that Machinga has four STAs, 10 Traditional Authorities (TAs), three Senior Chiefs and one Paramount Chief.
Nankhumwa said Paramount Chief Kawinga did not oppose the elevation of the two Lhomwe chiefs under the jurisdiction of Yao Traditional Authorities and said
government would continue its programme of promoting chiefs that are hard working.
According to the Chiefs Act, the powers to elevate Group Village Head (GVH) into a Sub TA rests in the hands of the responsible Traditional Authorities .
Recently, Mlomba accused Lhomwe Paramount Chief Ngolongoliwa, who is working with Nankhumwa in the Lhomwe expansion drive, of wanting to disrupt the coexistence that has been there between the Yao and Lhomwe tribes and interfering in the affairs of Yao people.
Herefused to bow down to the demands by Ngolongoliwa and the Ministry of Local Government to lose part of his area to somebody who originally is not from the Yao tribe.
“All along Yaos and Lhomwes have been living in harmony. But now they want to create enemity between us through dubious elevation of some chiefs into traditional authorities. We will not bow down to this because we know this is political,” Mlomba said as quoted by Malawi News recently when they exclusively reported the issue first.
Mlomba and Chamba, revealed that they were surprised to see government officials comprising the Principal Secretary for Local Government Kiswell Dakamau, Director for Chiefs Administration Charles Thombozi, and District Commissioner for Machinga Bester Mandele forcing them to sign letters which were approving the appointment of the two GHVs as STAs.
The two chiefs said they refused to sign the letters.
But Nankhumwa, powerful Minister in Democrcatic Progressive Party (DPP) administration, went ahead to elevate the chiefs and warned other Yao chiefs that they risk being removed if they don’t showdedication towards development work.
He also warned Chiefs against corrupt practices.
“My Ministry has noted with deep concern that some traditional leaders are involved in corrupt acts when registering beneficiaries for the public works programmes. For example, they are putting names of their relatives as beneficiaries, leaving out the vulnerable that the programme targets,” he observed.
Nankhumwa warned that once such chiefs are found they would be removed from the chieftaincy and replaced with the guidance of the Chief’s Act.
The Paramount Chief advised the newly promoted chiefs to respect their subjects and work with all chiefs under his jurisdiction regardless of their tribal backgrounds saying this would ensure sustainable development in the district.
Last year, Government promoted Senior Chief Kawinga to Paramount Chief and Traditional Authority Chamba to Senior Chief respectively.
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for once can someone teaches me the meaning of a tribe and how it works in a democratic country. To me a tribe is just an illusion or “imaginary coat” that makes you different from someone you don’t share some cultural beliefs or something to that effect.
However if we are to live as Malawians, i believe its simply looking at some one as a Malawian other than as a Lhomwe or a Yao. If everybody would want to make his tribe look more superior than others, imagine what chaos will we create in our already pathetic “Nyasaland”?
Sometimes its good to coexist and forget about superiority of our tribes, especially when media influences such division. Its a fact we belong to different tribes but that should not be a tool to influence division among ourselves.
Be responsible journalist who would bring unity in our flagile Malawi.
We only have one Malawi and lets unite in developing it!!
This is a sad day for Malawi. Why going about promiting tribal expansion. You are sowing seeds for hatred and discord.
Malawians are now mixed and only the stupid are proud if tribalism
Trying to discredit the govt at any cost even if it promotes tribalism. Shame on you unpatriotic Nyasatimes.
Don’t be surprised when you see Lhomwes siding/voting a fellow Lhomwe. Chipongwe ngati nyansi mwalembazi infuriates those of us belonging to the tribe. And the only way we can fight back to show all and sundry that we have a voice is through the ballot. Hate us at your own peril. Tisamakhale anthu nthawi ya mavoti yokha a Chilunga ndi anzanu thenafter you call us dogs!!!!!!!!!
I wish Chilunga was lying but you people are really dogs. I am happy i wasn’t born a lomwe. You and tumbukas are a bloody cursed groupings. Tumbukas can’t agree on anything. Always fighting. Lomwes agree on wrongs things only with their Prince of thieves.
george chaponda was another shithole. Nankhumwa is worse than Chaponda. He is a worse shithole. The biggest shithole is Muthalika himeself. Why should they take Malawi backwards by promoting tribalism. Most of us live in towns and have never known even our villages and thismeans that there is a shift. We are much more civilized but these shithole dpp politicians want to divide us along tribal lines. The jobs are shared between Lomwes. Come on Malawians.We have to fight these people and shame them in 2019. Malawi does not belong to a few stupid people. I have never heard them speaking Lomwe. Most of these shitholes speak Chichewa. Muluzi never promoted this even though he was another stupid president.
Za chamba zenizeni anthu aku Mpanyira inu
Mr Chilunga, your article is not balanced. Firstly take note that Nankhumwa is Local Government Minister, meaning that with consultation with HE he can elevate Chiefs. Tell us how possible Lomwe GVH are in the YAO area. If TA Chamba and TA Mlomba accepted Lomwe Chiefs to be in Yao area then there is no problem here.Should they not be promoted because they are Lomwe in Yao area? Any government check with your records always promote chiefs who are loyal to it. If the two TAs are not loyal to the current government dont think that it will seat without reacting. If the two TAs are not careful , I can assure you those Sub TAs will be elevated to full TAS and they will be at par with TA Chamba and Mlomba or even reaching the status of senior Chief. Let the TAs start working positively with the government. DC Mandere and the other ministry officials are matured people with experience,like it or not they know what they are doing.Finally, without considering politics and whatsoever, take note that the more you hate Nankhumwa the more he become powerful and relevant to the HE.. Thats how life is.
DPP will be responsible for any bloodshed. Due to ethnic conflicts. Is hard working the only criteria for promoting Lomwe chiefs. Even Ngologoliwa is not worth to be Paramount.
The problem with our poor reporters is that they can be twisted around by politicians. They write anything which they deem can appease their masters. The writer has seen to it that the combination of Atupele and Mutharika has resulted into pulling together of the Yaos and Lhomwes. And this togetherness is politically deadly to the opposition MCP. They can write anything just to separate this togetherness. MCP knows that it cannot penetrate in the Yao areas even if they use Sidik Mia. So they think the only way for them to have a political relief is to let UDF and DPP work separately so that perchance Chakwera can go through in 2019. But MCP should know that it is not the combination of the two tribes which can destroy MCP in 2019. The DPP with its Lhomwe majority bruised the MCP hands down in 2014 and in 2019 with the addition of the Chewas which are not happy with JZU’s treatment by Chakwera will add the hammer hitting Chakwera. MCP should not bank its victory on Mia. The man knows that even with his financial help MCP cannot ascend to power in 2019. What Mia wants is not the VP post. He is looking for the big post itself which Chewa political tradition does not want to be occupied by a Southerner. And this reasoning is what made Gwanda to dump MCP in those years. Mia will have the ambition of leading MCP but let him spend his finances this time but he will be shocked in 2024 when the Chewas will show him the exit which they showed the real Mbuya. Using Mia to convince Yaos about MCP is just a waste of time. This open hatred of the Lhomwes is another catalyst to make them more united than before. You insult them today, tomorrow you send Mia to tell the same insulted people to vote for Chakwera in 2019. What shallow thinking is this?
Tales from a failed State focusing on no value adding endeavours
Come on guys, this is the same unprofessional journalism that president Mutharika was talking about. really Mr Chilunga? Are you a true Malawian? What is it that you hate the most about Lhomwes? Are you gonna tell me that up to date you don’t know that we have yao chiefs and even yao sub T/As in areas and districts that are supposed to be dominated by the Lhomwes? Well by the way the name chilunga sounds like you’re coming from the North, you wouldn’t know great relationship between yaos and Lhomwes. So please Tumbukas stay away from these two tribes otherwise you gonna get a war of your life. Let me just remind you that muyao Dr Bakili Muluzi gave a throne to mulhomwe Dr Bingu wa Mutharika and not a Tumbuka. That shows how much can yaos and lhomwes depend and rely on each other.
But according to tradition there are supposed to be no lomwe or sena chiefs as lomwes have no land. Land belongs to Chewa, Ngoni, Yao and Tumbuka. Lomwes and Senas ndiopempha malo so they can not be chiefs
Ndiwe mbudzi! You don’t know kuti onse M`Malawi muno ndiochita kubwera, eni nthaka anali akafula! Usandikwiyitse wamva ukhonza kupapezeka uli ku Maputo!
Who told you that one tribe should be a begging tribe forever, it is not happening as you wish, you King tribalist
Inkatha, which policy are you referring to. Chiefs rule over people and not land..Not so?
most part of Zomba belongs to lhomwes sitipempha malo
Yao and Ngoni chiefs also rule in Lomwe dominated districts of Thyolo, Mulanje, Phalombe and Chiradzulu. Why not the Lomwes
also be allowed in yao dominated areas like Machinga. I feel pity with Zawadi Chilunga who hates the lomwestoo much.did u say ..the name “Chilunga sounds Tumbuka ?” God forgive u…my brother …. you just hate Tumbukas
Chilunga is not Tumbuka, they are from Salima and other districts in central region
No issue here. I hear in central region districts like Kasungu there are lots and lots of Lhomwe chiefs. Senir Chiefs, TAs, SAs, STAs all start from being chiefs. So promotion should not be discriminatory. TA Bvumbwe is in Thyolo and he is a Ngoni. Has anybody complained about this? Paramount Chief Lundu is a Chewa but he is i the Lower States. Has anybody complained about this? Lots of Lhomwes were migrated to BLK, MH, MHG, and the should have chiefs. Will it be wrong to promote some of these to Snior Group VHs?
Point of correction. All chiefs in Kasungu are Chewas.We have a few Jere Ngonis VG HM in chief Chulu’s area just as Mzimba has a few chewa VG HM in Chief Mabalawo’s area. Typical of border area situations.