By HRH Princess Eugene Majuru
Harare, Zimbabwe (News of The South) For more than four decades since independence, Zimbabwe has repeated the mantra “hatidi kudzvinyirirana” — “we don’t want to oppress each other.” Yet, for the Mbari clan, the royal family of Harare, that promise still feels unfulfilled.
Displaced between 1890 and 1897, when British settlers marched in and dismantled the traditional governance of the capital, the Mbari clan remain without their rightful chieftainship. Unlike other families across Zimbabwe whose chiefs preside over ceremonies, settle disputes, and uphold spiritual traditions, the Mbari people are scattered across other chiefs’ territories. They cannot even freely conduct their rituals in Harare, the land of their ancestors.
A Clan Without a Chief
The absence of a Chief Mbari is more than symbolic — it is deeply practical. In rural Zimbabwe, disputes, including sensitive matters like ngozi (avenging spirits), are settled by traditional leaders who know the land, the spirits, and the clan. Courts of law can only go so far; it is the chief who resolves family and ancestral issues.
For the Mbari, this spiritual and cultural safety net is missing. They cannot call on their traditional leader to mediate conflicts or lead ceremonies. Their ancestral authority remains in limbo — a silence that has lasted for generations.
The Wider Impact: If Harare Does Not Function, Neither Does Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe is a deeply spiritual country. Every piece of land is tied to a clan, and every clan has responsibilities to ensure balance between people, land, and ancestors. When these systems are disrupted, so too is national harmony.
“Other chiefs may feel that the lack of leadership in Harare does not affect them. But if Harare does not function spiritually, the whole country cannot function,” says one Mbari descendant.
The Colonial Wound That Never Healed
When the British chose Harare as a commercial capital, they destroyed the traditional order. They replaced the spiritual with administrative convenience. The Mbari chieftaincy was never restored, and the British never revisited what they had broken.
Now, in 2025, the echoes remain. The Mbari clan’s situation mirrors the unfinished business of colonialism: displacement, cultural erasure, and structural exclusion. For Britain, critics say, it is easier to talk about trade deals and re-engagement than to face the past.
“The British know why Zimbabwe cannot move forward, but they are content with it,” a Mbari elder argues. “They want to open trade avenues when their own economy is collapsing, yet they won’t repair the damage they caused.”
Colonialism’s Long Shadow
The pattern, many say, has been consistent since the days of Lobengula and Mzilikazi, when leaders were tricked into signing documents written in a foreign language they did not understand. The spirit of exploitation, some argue, never really left.
Today, as Zimbabwe reels from the 2025 drought that devastated crops and compounded an already strained economy, the echoes of colonialism mix with the frustrations of neo-colonial economic relationships. Critics question how far Britain can be trusted in its dealings when the wounds of the past remain untreated.
The Call for Restoration
For the Mbari clan, the issue is clear: their chieftaincy must be restored. Without it, Zimbabwe’s capital city remains spiritually incomplete, and the clan itself remains disconnected from its ancestral roots.
This is not just about the Mbari — it is about Zimbabwe’s sovereignty and wholeness. A nation that prides itself on independence must also repair the fractures that colonialism left behind. Until then, the words “hatidi kudzvinyirirana” will continue to ring hollow for the descendants of Harare’s rightful chiefs.
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