01/06/2026
Ngoni succession: How a king is chosen.
The Ngoni people follow a patrilineal system, meaning leadership and inheritance pass through the father's family line. This is different from tribes such as the Chewa and Bemba, where succession follows the mother's side.
For the Ngoni, the death of an iNkosi (King) was not just a family matter, it was a national event. During the reign of King Zwangendaba Jere, the founder of the Ngoni Kingdom, special rituals were performed when a king died. Oral history says a king "never died alone." In earlier times, attendants or trusted warriors could be buried alongside the ruler to accompany him into the afterlife. This practice was later replaced with the sacrifice of cattle.
During mourning, warriors performed traditional ngoma dances and wrestling contests to honour the fallen king. Black oxen were slaughtered, and their hides were used as part of the burial ceremony. The king was traditionally buried in a seated position.
Ngoni society allows polygamy, and a king could have several wives. However, not all wives had the same status. The most important wife was known as the Great Wife, and her house was called the Kuka. Traditionally, the heir to the throne was the eldest son from this senior house. If the Great Wife did not have a son, another woman, often her younger sister or close relative, could bear children on behalf of the Great House. Any son born through this arrangement was considered a legitimate heir. This is how Ntutu Jere, later known as the first Mpezeni, became heir. Although he was born to Sosera Ngumayo, the younger sister of Queen Loziba, he was recognised as the son of the Great House and therefore a rightful successor.
After Zwangendaba died in 1848, disagreements over succession emerged. Some supported Ntutu (Mpezeni), while others backed M’mbelwa, the son of another wife. These disputes eventually split the Ngoni Kingdom into separate groups across Southern Africa.
The major groups that emerged were:
- Mpezeni's Ngoni – Settled in present-day Eastern Province of Zambia and became the Ngoni of Chipata.
- M’mbelwa's Ngoni – Settled in northern Malawi and remain the largest Ngoni group there today.
- Gwangwara (Magangara) Ngoni – Moved into present-day Tanzania.
- Mshope's Ngoni – Settled in central Tanzania and were later absorbed into local communities.
- Maseko Ngoni – Established themselves in southern Malawi and northern Mozambique.
Despite being spread across different countries, many Ngoni groups continue to recognise the Mpezeni throne as the most senior traditional authority. History also records that after Crown Prince Nsingo was executed during the Anglo-Ngoni conflicts, his brother Madzimawe sought to inherit the throne. However, the council of elders chose the young Xhloa, who became Mpezeni II.
Today, discussions about Ngoni succession continue to attract interest, especially following the passing of Paramount Chief Mpezeni IV, as people reflect on one of Southern Africa's most fascinating traditional systems of leadership.
Sources
- Omer-Cooper, J.D. (1966). The Zulu Aftermath: A Nineteenth-Century Revolution in Bantu Africa.
- Chondoka, Y.M. (2007). A History of the Tumbuka and Senga under M’mbelwa.
- Read, M. (1956). The Ngoni of Nyasaland.
- Ritter, E.A. (1955). Shaka Zulu.
- Wills, A.J. History of Central Africa.
- Phiri, K.D. The Ngoni of Zambia and Malawi and related studies on Ngoni history and succession.
