Mpande's - University of Zululand Institutional Repository

Mpande, the first king to have children, became a royal group with high
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status. Mpande decreed that all children begotten by members of the
Zulu royal family be referred to as abantwana (princes and princesses).
Nevertheless, Mpande began on a very precarious footing. In his youth
he was plagued by umchoboka (skin dermatitis). His predecessors and
contemporaries viewed him as indolent, inept, obese and even cowardly.
Most historical accounts referred to Mpande's inferior genealogical
status, cowardice, physical and mental deficiencies.
On the contrary, Mpande was a recruited wamor and had been
incorporated into the regiments on the death of Senzangakhona in 1816.
He retained a submissive role during the next few years, thereby creating
an impression that he would not contend for the kingship.
The source of Mpande's strength could be traced from his name. It
comes from a Zulu word impande meaning "root". The symbolic
meaning of a root is that it is a source of life. In Senzangakhona's
calculations Mpande was to be the source, strength and growth of the
nation. This bore truth in that Zulu potentates whose genius earned the
nation dignity and pride, descended from his direct line. It could be that
Senzangakhona had a premonition of his son's reign by naming him
Mpande. King Shaka also gave Mpande the responsibility of fathering a