A bitter chieftaincy dispute has gripped Kwitunji Village in Mangochi District, threatening the unity of the community following the death of Group Village Headman Kwitunji in 2019.
According to the family of the late chief, the succession was supposed to follow the long-standing tradition where leadership is passed within the Kwitunji family. The late Group Village Headman — who ruled for 12 years — succeeded his elder brother, who had served for 25 years. This established a combined 37-year leadership within the family under Traditional Authority (T.A.) Katuli.
However, the family’s succession plans hit a snag immediately after the burial of the late chief on 2nd September 2019. Contrary to earlier agreements, T.A. Katuli allegedly changed his position and blocked the installation of a successor from the Kwitunji family, claiming the throne rightfully belonged to his authority.
“It was a shocking move because T.A. Katuli had initially agreed with us. But after the burial, he stopped everything and claimed the chieftaincy belonged to him,” said a family representative.
Investigations by the family revealed that T.A. Katuli had allegedly been influenced by corruption, with claims that a wealthy outsider — a personal friend of Katuli — bribed the chief to divert the chieftaincy in his favor.
“This man is not even related to our family, yet T.A. Katuli wants him installed simply because of money. This is a betrayal of our customs and traditions,” the family member lamented.
The family took their grievances to T.A. Jalasi, who clarified that since he was on the same level with T.A. Katuli, the matter should be referred to Senior Chief Chowe, Secretary to Paramount Chief Kawinga.
The wrangle caught the attention of senior traditional leaders, and a high-level meeting was convened at Chief Jalasi’s headquarters, attended by Paramount Chief Kawinga, Chief Kapoloma, and other Traditional Authorities.
During the meeting, Paramount Chief Kawinga ruled in favor of the Kwitunji family, ordering T.A. Katuli to respect tradition and install the rightful successor. The Paramount Chief emphasized that it was the family’s right to decide on a successor, and the role of a T.A. was merely to bless the family’s choice, not to impose a candidate.
However, despite the clear directive, T.A. Katuli reportedly delayed action, promising to act only when his secretary was available. Months passed without any progress.
Frustrated, the family returned to Senior Chief Chowe, who expressed shock over Katuli’s non-compliance. Chief Chowe, acting on behalf of Paramount Chief Kawinga, issued a formal blessing letter, giving the family the green light to proceed with the installation.
As of now, the Group Village Headman position remains vacant, with tensions simmering in the village. The Kwitunji family insists they will not back down until justice is served and tradition is upheld.
“This is not just about our family — it’s about protecting the culture and customs of our people,” the family declared.
Efforts to get a comment from T.A. Katuli have proven futile. Meanwhile, local governance experts warn that unresolved chieftaincy wrangles like this one risk fueling divisions and undermining community development.
