A Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) lawmaker has taken a dig at government officials for snubbing commemorations held in honour of the founder of the Ndebele Kingdom, King Mzilikazi.
The annual celebrations, which are not on the national calendar, were held at Mhlanhlandlela last weekend.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government has, however, declared September 15 a national event in honour of the late King Munhumutapa.
Munhumutapa, also known as Mwenemutapa, was the ruler of the ancient Kingdom of Mutapa, sometimes referred to as the Mutapa Empire.
Hwange Central CCC legislator, Daniel Molokele-Tsiye, questioned why the King Mzilikazi celebrations were not getting the same national recognition from the government.
This is after he raised concern over the absence of key government ministries during the commemorations despite the event’s significance in promoting Zimbabwe’s cultural heritage.
“Thousands of people from different generations, elders, youths, children, women, men, rural and urban people attended the event,” Molokele-Tsiye said in Parliament last Tuesday.
“Traditional leaders, chieftainships, councillors and Members of Parliament, including myself, were present.”
- Chamisa party defiant after ban
- Village Rhapsody: How Zimbabwe can improve governance
- News in depth: Partisan police force persecutes opposition, shields Zanu PF rogue elements
- Chamisa chilling death threat bishop defiant
Keep Reading
Molokela-Tsiye expressed disappointment that the government failed to send representatives from relevant ministries.
He cited ministries of Tourism and Hospitality Industry, Local Government and Public Works, and Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage.
“Despite the success of the event, one of the big concerns was that relevant government departments were visible in their absence,” he said.
He urged the government to take cultural heritage seriously and offer visible support in future events.
“When they see a community getting organised and celebrating their culture, history and identity, they must be seen to be supporting it,” he said.
Mthwakazi Republic Party (MRP) leader, Mqondisi Moyo, echoed similar sentiments.
“To make matters worse, the event was attended by only a handful of chiefs, while the vast majority of Ndebele traditional leaders were conspicuously absent,” Moyo said.
“By Ndebele custom and tradition, chiefs are expected to attend such commemorations in full, not merely as observers, but as custodians of culture and guardians of the people’s heritage.
“Their presence is a sacred duty: to honour the founding father of the Ndebele nation, to pay tribute to the reigning King, and to demonstrate unity and solidarity with the community they serve.”
Moyo said the traditional leaders undermined the authority of Ndebele kingship.
“The absence of most chiefs cannot be excused as mere scheduling conflicts; it represents a deliberate and shameful snub, a betrayal of both their cultural responsibilities and the moral trust placed in them by the Ndebele people,” he said.
“Chiefs are not ornamental figures; they are custodians of culture, protectors of their people, and moral authorities entrusted with the preservation of dignity and justice within their communities.”
“Those few chiefs who did attend appeared compromised, acting less as custodians of tradition and more as state employees—agents of Zanu PF, serving government interests rather than their people.”
Incidentally, Mnangagwa was in Eswatini last week attending that country’s National Day celebrations.
The celebrations feature vibrant cultural festivities including traditional dances, songs, and ceremonies, alongside the Umhlanga festival.
The King Mzilikazi celebrations were organised by the King Mzilikazi Memorial and Resource Mobilisation Initiative.
The event was held under the theme: Reclaiming African Heritage Through the Life and Legacy of King Mzilikazi.
