The ManicaPost
Lovemore Kadzura
Rusape Correspondent
BARELY three weeks after the death of Chief Chikore, born Denis Mashamba Chikore, his family is locked in a bitter and messy estate wrangle which has since spilled into the courts.
Chief Chikore (97) is survived by his two wives, Chenzira and Elizabeth.
At time of his death, he was staying with Elizabeth.
Elizabeth has since dragged Chenzira’s two sons, Moyosvi and Tichaenda, to court, alleging that they forcefully grabbed her matrimonial property.
Moyosvi has since been appointed the acting chief.
Elizabeth is represented by Rusape lawyer, Mr Leonard Chigadza of Chigadza and Associates. ln her court application submitted at the Rusape Civil Court recently, Elizabeth alleged that Moyosvi and Tichaenda forcibly seized the late chief’s official vehicle, a tractor and a beast.
Elizabeth argued that the two brothers had no right to dispossess her of the property since the late chief’s estate is yet to be distributed.
“In 2005 l was customarily married to Chief Chikore under the African Marriages Act, Chapter 238.1; and I have a marriage certificate. Prior to my marriage, Chief Chikore was married to Chenzira Mahwata, the respondents’ mother who deserted the homestead in 2005 and went to reside at Village 31 in Mayo.
“We built houses, a fowl run, cattle and goat pens and a building housing a grinding mill. The homestead is electrified. I have a permit of occupation to the premises, which I jointly owned with my (late) husband.
“Prior to his death, the late Chief Chikore was not in talking terms with the respondents and their siblings. On January 21, 2021 after the death of the late chief who passed away in my custody, the respondents stopped burial proceedings and took away his body. They buried him in my absence,” claimed Elizabeth.
Elizabeth further alleged that Moyosvi and Tichaenda took advantage of her absence from her homestead to grab the late chief’s property.
“After the burial, they came and vandalised my five-roomed house to gain access. I was at the fields when they broke into the house. When I came back, I found them inside the house. They forcibly took the Isuzu’s keys and they are now jointly using it. On January 26, they both forcibly took one beast from my kraal.
“On February 15 while I was in Rusape, they took the tractor we acquired through the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe Farm Mechanisation Scheme.
“The estate of the late chief is yet to be registered. The property belongs to me and my late husband and if they have any claim, they should follow the due process of the law. This matter is urgent in that they are in the process of taking away my matrimonial property using violent and unlawful means,” said Elizabeth.
Moyosvi and Tichaenda were yet to be served with the court papers by the time of going to print and Rusape magistrate, Ms Rufaro Mangwiro, granted an interim relief order for them to return all the said property.
Efforts to get comments from Moyosvi and Tichaenda were fruitless as their phones were not reachable.
