A HISTORICAL MALAWIAN VISIT BY EMPEROR HAILE SELASSIE AND HIS MEETING WITH KING M'MBELWA III

Who was Emperor Haile Selassie?

It is a public secret that Ethiopia has a long history, tracing back to the first millennium BC. Indeed two kingdoms were established during antiquity: the Kingdom of Dʿmt and Kingdom of Aksum; the latter's civilization was considered a great power by the third century AD. Christianity reached Aksum in the 4th century and has been the state religion since; Islam was introduced in Ethiopia in the seventh century. After the collapse of Aksum in the 10th century, a variety of kingdoms existed in the area that would later be known as Ethiopia. The Zagwe dynasty ruled the northern-central part of Ethiopia and Eritrea for over three centuries until being overthrown by Yekuno Amlak, who- inaugurated the Ethiopian Empire and its Solomonic line dynasty in 1270; this dynasty claimed descent from Biblical Solomon and the Queen of Sheba under their son Menelik I. 

Now, according to the vast history of Abyssinia now called Ethiopia,  Emperor Haile Selassie I is the 225th successor in the lineage of Ebna Hakim (Menelik I), the first emperor of Ethiopia arising from the Solomonic dynasty and the first born son of biblical king Solomon and Queen of Sheba. Thus, Haile Selassie`s royal family descends directly from King David and Bathsheba and besides that from Kush (6500B.C). 

To put it into perspective, Haile Selassie I was born to parents with ethnic links to three Afroasiatic-speaking populations of Ethiopia: the Oromo and Amhara, the country's two largest ethnic groups, as well as the Gurage.Since the restitution of the Solomonic dynasty from another called Zagwe in the 13th century by Emperor Yekuno Amlak, Emperor Haile Selassie I is recorded to be the 66th king in succession. Haile Selassie I was born Tafari Mekonnen on 23rd July 1892.At a tender age of 14,he was appointed a Provincial Governor of Harar.In 1916,Tafari Mekonnen was proclaimed Prince Regent and Heir-Apparent to the throne. He became king (negus) in 1928 before finally being crowned His Imperior Majesty, Emperor Haile Selassie I two years later on November 2 at St. George’s Cathedral in Addis-Ababa.

Emperor Haile Selassie 1 visit to Malawi

Now after Malawi gained its Independence in July 1964, the first African Head of State to ever pay the country a visit was His Imperial Majesty Emperor Haile Selassie who jetted in the country on a Monday, 2nd August 1965 for a three-day state visit. The Emperor's arrival at Chileka Airport in Blantyre from neighboring Zambia, was scheduled at 10am.where he was welcomed by Dr. Banda, the Prime Minister and Sir Glyn Jones the Governor General. The Ethiopian decorated leader initially inspected a military parade by the 1st Battalion of the Malawi Rifles. 

There after the Emperor was taken on a state drive to Blantyre City enroute to the Government House in the then Capital City, Zomba. Here thousands of Malawians had lined up the road to catch a rare glimpse of the Emperor who was seen wearing a large smile whilst waving at them. In fact,  the Times of Tuesday 3rd August 1965 reported, “There were scenes of wild enthusiasm at Chileka Airport when thousands of cheering and ululating Africans greeted the Emperor…The route was lined with cheering Malawians including hundreds of school children who provided a brave ‘reception committee’ of their own as they shouted their greetings.”

In honour of the Emperor’s visit to the City of Blantyre, the street that stretches from a round-about near E.S.C.O.M.House to a cross-junction (at Blantyre Magistrate Court),formerly called Sclaters Road was renamed “Haile Selassie”Road which literally means “Power Of The Holy Trinity”.

On the afternoon of 3rd August, 1965, which was declared a holiday in Malawi to honor the visit by the Emperors, a coronation ceremony was conducted by three Kings of Malawi, representing the three regions of Malawi to crown the Emperor as “The Great King of Malawi.” The three Kings were: Inkosi M`Mbelwa who represented the  North; King Mwase represented the Central regions  and King Mponda  represented the Southern region. 

Leading the ceremony amidst unrestrained acclamation and ululations from the crowd was King M`Mbelwa III whose birth names were Mackson Makamaka , Mthusane Jele.The Nguni King  presented the newly crowned 'Malawi’s Great King' with a spear, shield, knobkerrie, leopard skin hat and draped him with a reddish kingly  gown.

A historical photo of Emperor Haille Sellasie and Inkosi YaMakhosi M'mbelwa III

About Nguni King M'mbelwa III

Mackson Makamaka , Mthusane Jele was born in 1931 and he was the son of Lazaro  Mkhosi, Chikupizya Jele who reigned as Inkosi Ya Makhosi M'mbelwa II from 1928 up to his death in 1959. In 1960, Mackson Makamaka, Mthuysane Jele began his reign as King M'mbelwa III and would reign up to his death in 1983. He was the grandfather of the current King M'mbelwa V.