Chronicle Editor
Andile Tshuma
Where is it written that women cannot be traditional chiefs?
When the court ruled in favour of Ms Silibaziso Mlotshwa, the daughter of the late Chief Mvuthu of Matabeleland North Province, a cowry of hope was restored to the future of womanhood in traditional leadership positions in the country.
Some of her family members had sworn that they could not have a “menstruating human being” at the realm of their chieftainship.
Ms Mlotshwa however, contends that being a woman is not an impediment to becoming a chief.
She is not yet a sworn-in chief, but the High Court has nullified the nomination of Mr Sanders Mlotshwa as a potential successor to the late Chief Mvuthu and ordered a restart of the selection process saying gender cannot be used as grounds to disqualify women from being chiefs.
Her father, the late Chief Mvuthu, born Nyangayezizwe Mlotshwa of Monde area died in March 2014 aged 61.
She then approached the Supreme Court which advised that a constitutional application be properly filed to determine the constitutionality of the Nguni customary succession principle excluding women from chieftainship on the basis of gender.
Justice Takuva ordered Mr Mlotshwa to pay costs of suit at an attorney client scale.
The judge said since the district development co-ordinator’s (DDC) office had not forwarded any name to the President, the matter could still be heard by a court as President or Minister are not part of the nomination process.
In many parts of rural Zimbabwe, the idea of a woman leading men is unfathomable, however, some female chiefs in the country are breaking free of patriarchy and its traditional rules and encouraging other women to take up decision-making roles and become economically independent.
The Mlotshwa family nominated his brother Mr Sanders Mlotshwa as his successor in December 2014 but the late chief’s daughter Ms Silibaziso Mlotshwa, now aged 24, challenged that in court arguing that she is the one who should take over from her father.
The family is divided with one faction supporting Mr Mlotshwa saying it is against the Ndebele culture for a woman to succeed her father as chief while other family members back Ms Mlotshwa.
The DDC’s office which backed Mr Mlotshwa’s nomination, had ruled that Ms Mlotshwa was ineligible as a woman.
Ms Mlotshwa, who was represented by Mr Thulani Ndlovu of Sansole and Senda Legal Practitioners challenged the DDC’s decision at the High Court and lost.
Globally, women are accessing national legislatures and executives in unprecedented numbers and over the last two to three decades, several African countries have led the way in women’s representation in parliaments, cabinets and other high posts previously reserved for men.
Governments and their multiple partners and various stakeholders are increasingly focusing on the role of traditional leaders in local-level politics as states democratise and decentralise across the African continent.
Once considered as hopelessly undemocratic and patriarchal, traditional leaders are more recently viewed in many African countries as part of a viable and effective hybrid system at the local level.
Moreover, whereas the role of chief has been largely the preserve of African men, African women are increasingly asserting their right to become chiefs.
Zimbabwe has a total of six female chiefs dotted around the country out of a total of 286. Three of the female chiefs in Zimbabwe are in Matabeleland South Province, that is Chief Sinqobile Mabhena of Umzingwane, Chief Ketso Mathe of Gwanda and Chief Nonhlanhla Ndube of Insiza.
Ms Mlotshwa would be the first female chief in the Matabeleland North Province.
The first female chief, Sinqobile Mabhena, was installed in 1997, however, not without a long family dispute.
Chief Mabhena, who at the age of 23 was handed over the chieftaincy by her ailing father had to fight patriarchy for four years before eventually leading her clan.
Another young female chief, who rose to power and took over her father’s chieftaincy despite a family feud is Chief Nonhlanhla Ndube.
When Chief Ndube’s father handed her the chieftaincy of Insiza South in 2007, many people, including her own uncles, protested, saying a woman should never be allowed to lead men, and that the whole village could never bow down to a woman.
She remains in power to this day.
The role of chief is usually passed down from father to son, and if the chief has no male heir, the honour traditionally goes to another male member of his family.
However, there have been cases where the chieftaincy is handed over to one of the deceased chief’s daughters.
Chief Ndube has been leading for about twelve years now, showing that women indeed have what it takes to lead.
The female chiefs have become part of a slow but significant revolution against perceptions of ingrained gender roles in rural Zimbabwe and are excelling at their roles as leaders.
After rising up the ranks, the female chiefs are using their new positions to advance the dreams and aspirations of other women in their communities. There is hope!
The number of women in traditional leadership positions in Zimbabwe is still low, according to the latest Sadc Gender Protocol.
Despite efforts to champion goal five of the sustainable development goals, some men in Zimbabwe still find the idea of women gaining ruling power and economic independence unacceptable.
The courts have ruled in favour of Ms Mlotshwa, will she bring more hope as the country’s seventh female chief? — @andile_tshuma
Online Reporter