Online Reporter
Nyore Madzianike
THE High Court has dismantled the royal ambitions of Timothy Chiminya, a man who boldly declared himself “Mambo Munhumutapa” and claimed authority to appoint chiefs across the country.
Chiminya’s quest for kingship began in 2022, when he secured a default judgment (Case No. HC3981/22) after the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works failed to respond in time.
The ruling, granted by Justice Munangati-Manongwa on September 28, 2022, briefly allowed him to proclaim himself the modern-day Munhumutapa — a title linked to one of Southern Africa’s most storied pre-colonial empires.
Emboldened, Chiminya took to social media, announcing his “kingship” and even installing traditional leaders—a direct challenge to the Government, which holds sole constitutional authority over such appointments.
The State, however, was not amused.
The Attorney-General’s Office, acting on behalf of the Ministry, swiftly appealed the ruling, arguing that the default judgment was granted in error, since the Ministry had, in fact, filed its plea before the deadline.
On July 2, 2024, Justice Musithu delivered a judgement rescinding the earlier judgment and stripping Chiminya of any legal claim to the throne.
But Chiminya refused to back down.
Despite the court’s reversal, he continued to misrepresent the ruling, telling Government officials, traditional leaders, and the public that he had been legally recognised as king.
He even issued letters under the title “Mambo Munhumutapa”, demanding recognition.
The AG’s office accused him of deliberately misleading the nation.
“He has been going around writing letters, claiming the High Court installed him as king, while conveniently omitting that the same court later overturned that ruling,” said Chief Law Officer Mr Luckson Muradzikwa. “He is being deliberately deceptive.”
Chiminya’s defiance proved costly. Authorities arrested him for undermining the authority of the President—a serious offence.
He is set to stand trial at the Harare Magistrates’ Court tomorrow.
Meanwhile, the AG’s Office is moving to permanently silence his claims, seeking a court order to bar him from further declaring himself king.
In a twist, Chiminya tried to turn the tables by suing Local Government Minister Daniel Garwe for defamation, demanding US$100 000 for calling him an “imposter” in a press statement.
But the AG’s Office dismissed the lawsuit as another desperate stunt, noting that Chiminya had repeatedly tried to “snatch judgments” by improperly filing cases on the unopposed roll — only to have them struck down twice by judges.
