Chronicle Editor
Nqobile Tshili, Chronicle Reporter
VILLAGERS from Lupane in Matabeleland North have said the late youthful Chief Mabhikwa’s leadership qualities were never questionable as he respected the old and young alike, with his candid talk uniting the community.
Chief Mabhikwa died on Monday morning while admitted to St Luke’s Hospital after his car crashed into a haulage truck on Sunday, just six kilometres from his homestead in Jotsholo.
The late chief is expected to be buried on Saturday at his rural home.
Acting President, Dr Constantino Chiwenga mourned Chief Mabhikwa saying his subjects had been robbed of a humble, intelligent, resourceful and dynamic youthful leader who was barely in the prime of his life and chieftaincy.
A Chronicle news crew on Tuesday visited Chief Mabhikwa’s homestead in Jotsholo where mourners are gathered.
The community expressed grief following his death saying he was a cultured leader who united the community.
His uncle Mr Leonard Khumalo who served as acting Chief Mabhikwa before the ascendancy of the youthful chief said the deceased had served with dignity.
Chief Mabhikwa, was installed in 2012 at the age of 18 following the death of his father in 2006.
“I became acting Chief following the death of his father Nicholas.
And when he was mature enough to be installed as chief, I stepped down and he took over.
He served us with dignity and respect.
Although he was young, ubengubaba wethu, umthunzi wethu susithele,” said Mr Khumalo.
He said both the young and old respected him and he was a role model to most young people because of his calm character.
“We are at a serious loss.
We expected that he would continue serving the community in the dignified manner he had been doing.
We don’t know how we will even handle his succession as he was so young and we didn’t even think we would lose him so suddenly.
“His area of jurisdiction was so wide but never at any point would he fail to attend to anyone who sought his counsel.
As a family we are proud of the way he represented us,” he said.
A village head in Jotsholo, Mr Jabulani Nyathi said Chief Mabhikwa consulted on every decision he made.
“We had a meeting with him on Saturday as he was attending a traditional court session here before he travelled to Bulawayo as he usually did.
However, we were saddened on Monday to hear that he had passed on as a result of a road accident.
“As someone who worked with the chief very closely, I’m very saddened and this is the feeling in the community.
People came to him with a lot of issues and he attended to all of them.
“Whenever some members of the community had differences, he would resolve the conflicts.
He was very frank and candid in his speech and this is how he is going to be remembered,” said Mr Nyathi.
He said Chief Mabhikwa was pro-development and assigned traditional leadership structures to communicate to villagers proposed projects before they were implemented.
“After sending us to communicate the proposed developmental projects, he would also request that people provide feedback.
That is the type of a leader he was, never imposing to the people but always consulting us and the whole community on developmental issues.
He did not want us to lag behind as Lupane,” he said.
A villager and close neighbour to Chief Mabhikwa, Mr Phunyuka Luphahla said it was a marvel to watch Chief Mabhikwa grow as he was a well-groomed child who respected his elders.
Mr Luphahla said leadership qualities were inherent in him.
“Even at Fatima High School where I used to work, he was referred to as a chief.
This was before he was installed as a chief.
This was mainly because others realised the leadership qualities in him.
I could vouch for him on any day as he is someone that we trusted as he epitomised respect.
Yes, we will have someone replacing him as a chief but we will never have a chief like him.
We have lost a leader who was understood by the community and he understood the community as well,” said Mr Luphahla.
He is survived by a minor son. -@nqotshili
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