utemi

How to say it

Meaning

The rule of a traditional chief (mtemi) and the land he rules; in history articles it also names a duchy or principality. In politics it means ruling harshly like a tyrant.

Good to know

U class noun, usually singular. Mtemi is a chief, especially among the Sukuma and Nyamwezi; utemi wake is his harsh, bossy way of ruling.

Examples

• Utemi wa Unyanyembe ulikuwa na nguvu karne ya kumi na tisa.The Unyanyembe chiefdom was powerful in the nineteenth century.
• Wananchi walilalamikia utemi wa mkuu wa wilaya.The people complained about the district commissioner’s high-handedness.
• Alirithi utemi kutoka kwa baba yake.He inherited the chieftainship from his father.

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