Some Lhomwe chiefs are protesting the promotion and installation of Chief Kaduya of Phalombe to Paramount Chief of Lhomwe people.
The ‘angry’ chiefs voiced their inner anger during a presser held on Friday at Traditional Authority (TA) Ngolongoliwa headquarters in Thyolo.
Some of the notable chiefs who were present include Lhomwe Senior Chiefs Ndalama and Nkhulambe.
Others were TAs Ngolongoliwa, Boyidi and January alongside other chiefs from Thyolo, Mulanje, Phalombe and Zomba districts.
Among others, the chiefs, accused President Lazarus Chakwera and Ministry of Local Government of “hand picking” Kaduya saying the Lhomwe chiefs were not consulted.
According to Senior Chief Ndalama, the newly installed Paramount Kaduya is not a Lhomwe as she from Mang’anja clan.
While accusing Chakwera and Mulhako Wa Alomwe of ‘imposing’ Chief Kaduya on Lhomwes, Senior Chief Ndalama added that it is a ‘taboo’ for Lhomwes to have a Paramount Chief from another tribe.
On Thursday, President Chakwera installed Senior Chief Kaduya as Paramount Chief of the Lhomwe.
However, speaking during the installation ceremony Chakwera said Kaduya is not just Paramount Chief for the Lhomwe culture only, but for the whole nation.
He further thanked the Lhomwe people for their unity and peace when choosing their paramount chief and pledged support towards the Lhomwe culture.
On the other hand, Minister of Local Government, Unity and Culture, Richard Chimwendo Banda, said it was not easy to choose a paramount chief for the Lhomwe culture due to misunderstandings.
Chimwendo Banda added that any chief can be elevated to paramount chief, as long as the person has the quality of taking care of his or her subjects, including portraying good behaviour.
Kaduya, whose real name is Stella Munyama, took over from Paramount Ngolongoliwa who died five years ago. She was elevated to paramount chief on January 10, 2024.
The Lhomwes are largely concentrated in Chiradzulu, Mulanje, Phalombe, Thyolo and some parts of Blantyre and Zomba.
