The King Lobengula family has said the Ndebele people currently have no legitimate king and that the process of identifying the rightful Crown Prince is still underway, a position that raises questions about the status of Bulelani Collen Lobengula Khumalo, whose 2018 coronation has been at the centre of a long-running succession dispute.
In a statement issued following a family meeting held in Bulawayo on August 16, 2026, representatives of five of King Lobengula’s royal houses said the restoration of the Ndebele monarchy must be guided by established customary processes, the correct order of succession and the involvement of traditional leaders.
The family’s position comes barely a month after Prince Peter Zwide kaLanga Khumalo withdrew an eight-year High Court challenge contesting Bulelani’s coronation, effectively bringing the legal battle to an end without determining who should ultimately occupy the Ndebele throne.
Read: https://cite.org.zw/khumalo-
On this topic
The latest meeting brought together representatives from the Mhlambi, Mthinthiwa, Njube, Nyamande and Tshakalisa royal houses.
The Sidojiwe House was not represented.
The Lobengula family described the meeting as historically significant, bringing together representatives of the royal houses around a shared commitment to preserving King Lobengula’s legacy and restoring the Ndebele monarchy.
Central to the discussions was the question of succession, with the family stressing the responsibility for identifying and presenting the rightful Crown Prince rests with the King Lobengula family and cannot be determined through public declarations, media pronouncements or individuals acting without the family’s authority or mandate.
“The family was clear and unequivocal that the identification and presentation of the rightful and legitimate Crown Prince is the responsibility of the King Lobengula Family and must be conducted strictly in accordance with Ndebele customary processes and a correct order of succession,” the statement said.
“This is not a matter to be determined by media pronouncements or the actions of individuals acting without the authority or mandate of the family.”
The family said it had been quietly engaged in the process of identifying the rightful successor and insisted that the work had never stopped despite years of public disputes and litigation over the throne.
“The process is well underway to finality. Currently, the Ndebele people have no legitimate King. The King Lobengula family has not seconded anyone to be a King,” the family said.
The statement was signed by Dr Themba Khumalo and Dr Peter Zwide kaLanga Khumalo.
The latest position introduces a significant development in the long-running dispute over the restoration of the Ndebele monarchy.
While Bulelani was crowned in 2018 following seven days of traditional rites and has since been publicly presented as the Ndebele King, representatives of five Lobengula royal houses are saying the Ndebele people currently have “no legitimate King” and that the King Lobengula family has not seconded anyone to assume the position.
The statement comes after an eight-year legal battle over the kingship ended on July 20, 2026, when Prince Peter Zwide kaLanga Khumalo withdrew his High Court case contesting Bulelani’s coronation.
The withdrawal removed the dispute from the courts but did not resolve the substantive question of who should ultimately occupy the Ndebele throne.
It instead returned the matter to the Khumalo royal family and traditional leadership structures, where the succession question is expected to be resolved through customary processes.
At the time of withdrawing the case, Zwide Khumalo said the decision should not be interpreted as abandoning the broader objective of restoring the Ndebele monarchy, but rather as an effort to preserve family unity and protect the institution for future generations.
Zwide Khumalo, who traces his lineage to Nyamande, a son of King Lobengula, had maintained he was lawfully identified by the Nyamande Royal House as the rightful successor to the throne.
He claimed he was unveiled as King Nyamande Lobengula II on February 17, 2018, following what he said was a customary identification process conducted within King Lobengula’s royal family.
Zwide argued the process leading to Bulelani’s identification and subsequent coronation had been conducted outside the royal family and therefore did not comply with Ndebele custom.
The respondents in the court case rejected those claims, arguing that Nyamande was never king of the Ndebele people and could therefore not pass on a legitimate royal line.
They further argued that, under Ndebele custom, “a king begets a king,” maintaining Nyamande was born before Lobengula himself became king and could therefore not establish a legitimate line of succession.
The dispute reached a critical point in March 2018 when the Bulawayo High Court temporarily halted Bulelani’s planned coronation after Zwide successfully obtained an interdict stopping the installation.
However, in September 2018, traditional leaders in Matabeleland and members of the Khumalo family proceeded with Bulelani’s coronation during a private ceremony following seven days of traditional rites.
The latest statement from the King Lobengula family also expressed concern over the emergence of individuals who have presented themselves as Ndebele kings or made pronouncements purportedly on behalf of the royal family without its authority.
“The King Lobengula Family notes with concern the emergence of individuals who have presented themselves as Ndebele Kings through various media platforms and some have made pronouncements purportedly on behalf of the King Lobengula family without its knowledge, authority and consent,” the statement said.
“The family categorically dissociates itself with such claims of Kingship or pronouncements.”
The family said the restoration of the monarchy was a matter of profound historical and customary significance and could not be determined outside established Ndebele customs and the authority of the royal family and traditional leaders.
It said that once its internal process of identifying the Crown Prince is complete, the chosen successor will be formally presented to the relevant traditional leaders and chiefs.
“The Ndebele Monarchy will be restored through the time-honoured customs and traditions of the Ndebele people, guided by the King Lobengula family and presented to the nation through its rightful custodians, the Chiefs,” the family said.
The family added that chiefs would play a central role in the process as custodians of Ndebele customs and traditions and as the recognised authority through whom the Crown Prince would be presented to the nation.
The family called on the media, members of the public and other interested parties to exercise caution and discernment regarding individuals claiming to speak for or on behalf of the King Lobengula family.
The developments come as preparations are underway for the 2026 King Mzilikazi annual commemorations, scheduled for September 4 and 5 at Mhlahlandlela near Bulawayo.
The commemorations, which honour the founding king of the Ndebele nation, will take place amid renewed attention on the unresolved question of the restoration of the Ndebele monarchy and who will ultimately emerge as the rightful successor to King Lobengula.
Leave a Reply