NKOYAS BATTLE OVER THRONE
Written by Millennium on August 19, 2019
SANDRA MACHIMA writes
A TRIBAL succession battle has erupted in Kaoma with one group of Nkoyas threatening violence following the installation of Justine Kahare as Chief Kahare.
Justine is the son of the late chief, Edward, who died suddenly last year.
Yesterday, an anti-Justine fasshion assembled at the entrance to the palace to block the new chief from entering his official residence to assume and take charge of the chiefdom.
When word went round that the new chief was headed to the palace, those opposed to his installation quickly mobilised and picketed the entrance.
The royal family has now decided to seek Government’s intervention and clarity into the matter because there was already a chief in the palace.
For two years now, the leadership battle has been raging in the Kahare chiefdom with two people claiming the throne.
The fierce skirmishes between the rival factions that took almost two years after the death of Chief Kahare had ended after another recent death of Edward Kahare, who was the claimant of the throne, leaving Stanford Mayowe as chief.
But the late Edward Kahare’s supporters said since his death, no one had been recognised by the government, labelling the current chief (Mayowe) an imposter.
However, the Barotse Royal Establishment at the weekend installed Justin Kahare as Chief Kahare, taking over from his late father, Edward, who died late last year, but that did not go down well with his opponents.
The new chief said his leadership should be based on peace and unity, promising to make sure everyone was treated equally.
Chief Kahare said in an interview with the Sun it was the responsibility of everyone to respect the rule of law.
Peace was a priority in his leadership.
“My expectations is to bring peace and make known to every subject that all should be treated equal without segregation and also should use all government institutions unlike the imposed leadership,” he said.
Chief Kahare (Justin) said he expected people to forgive one another and focus on building a strong chiefdom for the benefit of all the subjects regardless of the differences.
The Kahare chiefdom has for many years been engulfed in chaos, with two factions fighting each other over leadership.
But Chief Kahare appealed to those who were against his installation to remain calm and use right channels to express their views to avoid recurrence of what had been happening in the past.
“It is nature that one cannot be loved by all, but what is important is to embrace everyone and show them that what they were thinking about you is far from it and try to reconcile,” he said.