By Suleman Chitera
A fresh wave of tension has resurfaced in the Nkula chieftaincy succession wrangle in Machinga District, with Charles Nandela of the Nkula royal family insisting that at no point did the clan agree to or recognize the current Traditional Authority (T/A) Nkula, Umali Wilson Ngulinga, as their legitimate chief.
Nandela told local media that when the previous T/A Nkula died in 2021, the royal family only selected Umali Wilson Ngulinga to act in the position temporarily during the 40-day mourning period. He said the understanding was that after the mourning period, the clan would formally identify and install the rightful heir to the throne.
“After the 40 days elapsed, we went to the Machinga District Council offices to submit the name of the chief agreed upon by the whole clan. But to our surprise, we were sent back and told that Nkula already existed. This broke our hearts, and we had to seek an injunction from the court,” said Nandela.
He added that the royal family has repeatedly attempted to follow proper procedures to have the current chief removed, but the Machinga District Council has not been cooperative. According to him, the clan has written numerous letters to the council, all of which have gone unanswered.
Responding to the accusations, the sitting T/A Nkula, Umali Wilson Ngulinga, said the chieftaincy dispute is not new and that those with objections should return to the court where the matter was first taken.
“This is an old issue. Anyone who is still not satisfied should go back to the court and appeal,” said Ngulinga.
On his part, Machinga District Council spokesperson Leonard Masauli clarified that the council has no legal authority to appoint or impose anyone on a chieftaincy, stressing that their role is limited to facilitating procedures as guided by custom and the law.
The Nkula chieftaincy dispute remains unsettled, with the royal family pushing for recognition of their preferred heir while the current T/A maintains his stance. The matter is expected to return to the courts for further determination.
