Gutu clan fights over chieftainship

George Maponga Masvingo Bureau
The quest by the family of prominent Masvingo bus operator Mr Tanda Tavaruva Mhunga to take over the Gutu chieftainship has taken a new twist, with the provincial chiefs’ assembly calling for a fresh meeting to review the selection process. Mr Godwin Tavaruva (49), who is Mr Tanda Mhunga’s eldest child, was already set to become the 22nd substantive Chief Gutu after over 100 Madyira (Gutu clan totem) members agreed to his ascendancy.

Officials from the district administrator’s office and provincial chiefs’ assembly had also agreed that it was the Chagwiza family’s turn to take over the Gutu chieftainship.

Mr Tavaruva Tanda Mhunga belongs to the Chagwiza family, but had opted for his eldest son Mr Tavaruva to assume the chieftainship citing old age and poor health.

The new Chief Gutu was supposed to take over the reigns from Mr Edmund Masanganise, who was acting after the passing on of the substantive Chief Gutu, Mr Anos Kasirai Masanganise in 2013.

Mr Masanganise was President Mugabe’s uncle, as the President’s mother was a direct descendant of the Gutu family lineage.

Masvingo provincial chiefs assembly chair, Chief Chitanga, Mr Felen Chauke of Mwenezi, yesterday said another meeting was going to be reconvened soon to agree on the next substantive Chief Gutu.

He said the new development was necessitated by a complaint raised by one of the Gutu clan families disputing the right of the Mhunga (Chagwiza) family to take over the reigns.

Chief Chitanga said Mr Tavaruva could not be installed as the next substantive Chief Gutu when there was no consensus.

“The process to choose the next substantive Chief Gutu will be done again because we received a complaint from the Matonhodze family, which is disputing the choice of the Chagwiza (Mhunga) family as the house of the next chief,” he said.

“The Matonhodze family is arguing that it is their turn to provide the next heir to the Gutu chieftainship throne and as a result of that we will not allow the coronation of Mr Tavarura as the next chief.

“All the Gutu clan family members should agree on the house that should assume the chieftainship.”

Chief Chitanga said they would soon dispatch another team to restart the process of choosing the new Chief Gutu.

Mr Tavaruva could not be reached for comment as he was not answering his phone.

Speaking to The Herald Southern Edition on Tuesday, Mr Tavaruva said he was looking forward to his investiture as the next substantive Chief Gutu.

Chieftainship wrangles are common in Masvingo, with several disputes awaiting adjudication before the provincial chiefs’ assembly, while other cases even spilled into the country’s courts.

Together with the Dumas of the Moyo totem, the Gutu chieftainship is arguably one of the biggest and most prominent in Masvingo province.