The Throne
His Royal Highness Senior Chief Kasempa
The living link between the Kaonde of today and the ancestors who made the journey from Katanga.
The Throne
His Royal Highness Senior Chief Kasempa
The reigning Chief is His Royal Highness Senior Chief Kasempa, Mr Benson Mushitala, installed in 1976 in succession to Samushi Mabende. In 2026 the chiefdom marks fifty years of his reign.
The Chief is the living link between the Kaonde of today and the ancestors who made the journey from Katanga. He is installed by the royal council according to custom, and from that moment he carries the Honorific Title of Kasempa — the name of the chiefdom itself. He reigns from his palace, Lukena, near Kasempa Boma.
Marks of office
- The mushroom
- Carved on the throne and the palanquin, and borne on the crest — the emblem of the Bena Kyowa, the Mushroom Clan.
- The spear and axe
- Crossed beneath the name on the royal crest: the hunter's weapon of Jipumpu and the defence of the hill.
- The mpande headdress
- Worked with white shell discs, worn only by the Chief in state.
- The fly-whisk
- Carried in the right hand; raised in greeting and in blessing over the people.
- The royal palanquin
- The carved chair on which the Chief is borne shoulder-high to the ceremonial arena.
The Royal Council
The Establishment is served by a secretariat and a council of indunas drawn from across the chiefdom, who advise the Chief, prepare the ceremonies and represent the palace in public affairs.
The Royal Household
The Chief and the Royal Consort
The Royal Household stands at the centre of the chiefdom's public life — receiving visitors and dignitaries at the palace, opening the ceremonial season, and carrying the concerns of the villages to those who can answer them.
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