MZUKUZUKU JELE OR 'MUZUKUZUKU NKOSI'!?

UPCLOSE WITH THE MZUKUZUKU CHIEFDOM.

In  Mzimba district of Northern Malawi, there is a place with a Nguni name of Embagweni. This is the land of Inkhosi Mzukuzuku Jele. So who is the founder of this Nguni empire and was he really a son of as mostly theorized?

'Indaba Ya Madoda' or Majelemafu who many know as Mzukuzuku was born in 1856. His mother was Queen Mambiti from Embagweni village. Mambiti was married to the Ngonis inspirational figurehead, Zwangendaba Jele.

However, Mambiti and King Zwangendaba had no sons during the lifetime of Zwangendaba. After the death of Zwangendaba in 1845, Mambiti was claimed and married in levirate to Mahruli Nkosi. Mahruli was a brother of Mgai but they shared only the mother as Mahruli's father was Ntengo Nkosi from the Nkosi clan.

It is thus Mahruli Nkosi who fathered Mzukuzuku but through Queen Mambiti, the wife left behind by Zwangendaba from the village of Embagweni.

It should however be highlighted that in some Nguni customs, children born in levirate are allowed or rather should use the surnames of the earlier man who had married their mother. In Mzimba, Northern Malawi, this custom is said to be still alive to this day. This would thus make Mzukuzuzuku a Jele even though his father was a Nkosi.

Mzukuzuku started his reign as an Inkhosi under King Mbelwa in 1883. He reigned for 25 years and died in 1908, he was 52. He was succeeded by the1879 born Moses Chitete who reigned for 29 years and died in 1937 aged 58. Jailosi, Dliso, Chikhwalingwa reigned for only two years, from 1940 to 1942.

Chanidina, Mordecai took over from a one year regent period, he reigned from 1943 upto 1951. Tifaphi, Isaac Kamangirila was the longest reigning Inkhosi Mzukuzuku having reigned for 51 years, he died aged 82.

Attached: The coronation of Inkhosi Mzukuzuku IV by King M'mbelwa, he is being assisted by Inkhosi Mtwalo of Ezondweni.

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