SOUTH AFRICA-BASED Ndebele King, Bulelani Collin Lobengula Khumalo, has urged public officials to exercise caution, decorum and cultural sensitivity when speaking on matters of heritage and traditional leadership after his meeting with Bulawayo mayor David Coltart riled government.
Local Government minister Daniel Garwe recently wrote to Coltart demanding an explanation on why he hosted King Bulelani Khumalo.
Zanu PF national spokesperson Christopher Mutsvangwa also attacked Coltart whom he accused of prioritising tribal interests over the city's development for hosting the king.
In response, King Bulelani’s office said they had taken note of recent public statements made by Garwe and Mutsvangwa. It said the king’s role was not political but restorative, cultural and symbolic, aimed at uniting Mthwakazi descendants across southern Africa and the diaspora through heritage, identity and community development.
“His majesty's visit to Bulawayo was in no way a political event or an act of defiance. It was a private and dignified cultural pilgrimage to the historical heartland of the Ndebele people, a journey marked by mutual respect, peaceful engagement and cultural significance,” it said.
“His meeting with the mayor was conducted in a spirit of courtesy and national unity, reflective of our African tradition of mutual recognition among community leaders.
The Ndebele king’s office indicated that the dismissive language or threats of arrest directed at a traditional and cultural figure — whose mission is reconciliation, unity and empowerment — does not reflect the spirit of Ubuntu or the values enshrined in pan-Africanism.
“The kingdom reiterates its commitment to peaceful engagement, cultural restoration and respectful co-operation with both governmental and civil institutions.
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“We believe that coexistence between traditional structures and State governance is not only possible but necessary for a more inclusive and reconciled future,” the office said.
It said the king remained open to constructive dialogue with all relevant stakeholders in Zimbabwe and the region to find common ground in the recognition and preservation of traditional institutions that predate colonial boundaries.
The office indicated that these institutions, when embraced and integrated, can contribute meaningfully to community development, national unity and cultural tourism.
The Ndebele king applauded Zimbabweans who supported him.
“It has demonstrated that 'inkosi YiNkosi Ngabantu'. We call on all concerned to embrace a spirit of mutual respect, understanding, and dialogue in addressing matters concerning the cultural identity of the Mthwakazi people,” the response to government read.
“His majesty's presence is not an imposition, but a reminder of a shared aspiration and history that yearns for healing, dignity and recognition,” the office said.
