By Burnett Munthali
Paramount Chief Mpezeni IV of the Ngoni people has died at the age of 75, leaving behind a wife, one child and grandchildren.
Senior Chief Nzamane, who served as the second in command to the late chief, announced the death at a press briefing in Lusaka.
The traditional leader passed away in the early hours of today at the University Teaching Hospital in Lusaka.
His body has since been moved to Maina Soko Military Hospital, where military honors are expected to be observed.
Mpezeni IV, who ruled for 44 years, ascended to the throne in 1982 following the death of his father, who had reigned for four decades.
Born David Njengembazo Jele, the chief spent much of his early life in his village of Efeni in Chipata District before later working in a factory in Livingstone.
He was crowned at the age of 31 in a ceremony involving Ngoni royal figures from Zambia and Malawi, with Zambia’s first Republican President Dr Kenneth Kaunda in attendance.
According to Ngoni historian Gumbi Jele, the succession process following the death of Mpezeni III in 1981 took place after a year-long mourning period traditionally referred to as the “year of the witch-hunt.”
Jele noted that modern times may alter how long the traditional process takes.
In an interview with Kalemba, Jele described how royal delegates travelled to Livingstone to inform the future chief of his destiny.
“When Inkosi YaMakhosi Mphezeni III died on June 11, 1981, the AmaZwangendaba Nation of Zambia was on its knees as it mourned its monarch, who had been at the helm of power for 40 years,” Jele said.
“As per Ngoni cultural rites, it had to find a successor after the one year mourning period that is also called the ‘year of the witch-hunt’, according to the Nguni calendar of events,” he added.
“Whilst destiny was smiling at him, Mpezeni IV was oblivious of the happenings in his native village of Efeni in Chipata district as he was 1,051 kilometres away, in the southern city of Livingstone where he was working in a factory,” shared Jele.
“After careful deliberations, the key figures of the Angoni Royal Council, which comprises the Amakhosi, MaZindunas and other notables of the Ngoni Nation, decided the pendulum had swung in favour of Mpezeni IV,” Jele explained.
“He was going to succeed his father after the end of the ‘Year of the Witch-Hunt’,” the historian said.
The sight was a marvel to behold and unforgettable for those who witnessed first hand what was happening in the relatively quiet township.
After he was taken to his home village, Mpezeni IV proceeded to northern Malawi, where he prepared further for the next chapter of his life that would become a defining moment.
He married a daughter of a king, who died in 2009, and the Paramount Chief later remarried.
Paramount Chief Mpezeni IV was the first Mpezeni to return to his ancestral land in South Africa to see exactly where his forefathers came from.
He is remembered as a cultural figure who strengthened the Ncwala Traditional Ceremony, an annual first fruits festival held in February that draws thousands of people from across Southern Africa.
He also maintained strong links with regional and international leaders, with former South African President Jacob Zuma among those who attended Ncwala ceremonies during his reign.
He was also invited to witness the coronation of Zulu King Misuzulu kaZwelithini in 2022, a sign of the respect he commanded beyond Zambia’s borders.
Further details regarding funeral arrangements are expected to be announced by the Royal Establishment in consultation with the Zambian government.
