Sankwasa grants approval for designation of Mutwa as Masubia chief

Minister of urban and rural development James Sankwasa has granted approval for the designation of Gilbert Mutwa as Masubia chief.

In a letter dated 7 April to senior traditional headman Albius Kamwi, Sankwasa writes: “I am pleased to inform you that as per the provision of section 5 (2) of the Traditional Authority Act, approval has been granted to your application to designate Gilbert Mutwa as chief of the Masubia Traditional Authority to succeed the late chief Kisco Liswani III after a long deliberation”.

Those who were vying for the chieftainship, as dictated by the Masubia customary law and Act 25 of the Traditional Authority Act of 2000 as amended, were Gilbert Mutwa and Trevor Maiba.

Mutwa is the eldest son of the late Masubia chief Josiah Moraliswani II, who died in 1996 and was succeeded by his brother, Kisco Moraliswani III. Trevor Maiba is the son of Kisco Moraliswani III, who died in July 2021.

Sankwasa’s directive comes amid growing concerns from the divided royal houses of Bukalo, Ngoma, Kasika and Mahundu, with the Masubia concerned youth having expressed their dismay in recent months over what they claimed were delayed tactics employed by the office of the portfolio minister to approve the appointment of the chief.

The minister has also directed that the official designation of the chief be carried out on a suitable date, time and place as determined by the traditional authority before the end of May.

“I applaud you and the entire leadership of your traditional authority for acting in unity and for the peaceful transition of power in terms of your customary laws and practices,” Sankwasa added in the letter.

Contacted for comment, Ngambela Kamwi acknowledged receipt of the letter, and said he would inform his subjects through proper traditional structures.

The Masubia people have been grappling with chieftainship disputes since the death of chief Kisco Liswani III in July 2021.