One Chief, 336 Villages: Why Murewa Needs More Traditional Leaders

Zimbabwe to install three new chiefs in Murewa (image source)

MUREWA — For over a century, Chief Mangwende has borne the weight of being the sole traditional leader in one of Zimbabwe’s largest districts. But with more than 336 villages and 205,000 residents, pressure has mounted on government to restore historic chieftainships dismantled during colonial rule. In a landmark decision, the Ministry of Local Government has confirmed that three additional chiefs will be installed in Murewa district. The move is aimed at easing administrative burdens, curbing corruption, and bringing justice closer to rural communities.

Colonial Legacy and Overstretched Authority

Murewa once had four functioning chieftainships, but by 1896 settlers had abolished three, leaving only the Mangwende dynasty as guardian of customary law across a vast 3,554 km² district.

“In Murewa, government is set to install three new chiefs whose chieftainship was once abolished by the white settlers,” said Local Government Minister Daniel Garwe, adding that the expansion would support Vision 2030.

Chief Mangwende, born Morgan Taaziva Gatsi, recently appointed a steering committee led by Franklin Mukarakate and Edmore Mangwende. But villagers accuse the committee of running parallel structures, installing village heads in resettlement areas without consulting the chief. This, critics argue, has enabled corruption, particularly in Murewa South, where headmen allegedly sell land illegally in “Seke-style” schemes to desperate buyers from Harare.

Justice Out of Reach

A 2017 National Chiefs Council report, revisited in a recent government probe, found the system untenable. The figures highlight the strain:

• 195,085 subjects per chief (2012 census) in Murewa vs. 6,000 per chief in Binga.

• US$30 average transport cost for families to access the Mukarakate local court—unaffordable for many.

For villagers far from Mangwende’s seat, justice is often delayed or denied. In this vacuum, powerful headmen have filled the gap, entrenching patronage and fueling land corruption.

“The cost factor is deterrent enough for Murewa people to access justice,” the report noted, adding that the imbalance has created fertile ground for corruption, land degradation, and weakened accountability.

Restoring Dynasties, Reforming Governance

The government proposal will split the Mangwende chieftainship into two while reviving the Bandakamwe RaGatsi and Nyagwizu Chikonamombe Dzete dynasties. Together, four chiefs will oversee 30 wards and 336 villages, making Murewa more manageable. According to Section 283(b) of the Constitution and the Traditional Leaders Act, installations will proceed after consultation with the National Chiefs Council.

The reform carries both symbolic and practical weight. Restoring chieftainships acknowledges communities’ struggles against colonial dismantling, while decentralization curtails the unchecked powers of headmen.

Political analyst Blessing Vava said the change was overdue:“Chief Mangwende’s authority is overstretched. The lack of accessible justice created a vacuum for corruption. Installing new chiefs is not only about culture—it is about governance.”

Villagers Demand Accessible Justice

For government, the restructuring fits within Vision 2030’s pledge to modernize governance and combat corruption. But for villagers, success will be measured in whether disputes can be resolved without long, costly journeys, and whether land barons lose their grip on desperate families.

As one villager noted:“We just want justice close to home. If more chiefs bring that, then let them come tomorrow.”