News / National
5 homesteads destroyed in land tribal clash
03 Dec 2013 at 02:09hrs | Views
AT least five homesteads have been destroyed in Bikita, while 21 others face the same fate in a tussle for land possession between two headmen.
Mr Herbert Masunda, the head for Furanai Village was left counting losses after five homesteads, including his, were destroyed by the Deputy Sheriff at the instigation of Mr Richard Mukari who is head of Vanhukwavo Village, both under Chief Mukanganwi.
Headman Mukari secured a court order to evict 26 families and has since enlisted the services of the Deputy Sheriff to evict them.
At the centre of the dispute is a piece of land in Ward 13 which Headman Mukari argues belonged to the Duma tribe, but is being occupied by Headman Masunda who is of the Rozvi tribe.
Headman Masunda argues that he is the heir apparent and he inherited the land from his father, Mr Tariro Masunda who remained behind while other Rozvi tribesman migrated to Gokwe in the 1960s.
Problems started when Headman Masunda approached the magistrates court seeking to evict Headman Mukari for encroaching onto his land.
The court granted the order and Headman Mukari left the area, but not before he appealed to the High Court against the lower court's decision.
The High Court upheld his appeal on a technicality and that marked the beginning of Headman Masunda's problems.
Headman Mukari enlisted the services of the Deputy Sheriff who then went to Headman Masunda's village where the five homesteads out of the 26 enlisted for demolition were destroyed.
In an interview, Headman Masunda said he was the legitimate owner of the piece of land.
"Furanai village was registered in 1957," he said.
"At the height of hostilities between the Rozvi tribe and the Duma, the Rozvi went to Gokwe but my father remained here in control of this land."
But Headman Mukari also claimed the same piece of land.
"Furanai village is in Gokwe," he said.
"If Masunda wants to head Furanai village, he should go to Gokwe where his tribesman are."
Zanu-PF Central Committee member Cde Claudious Makova bemoaned the destruction of the property.
Mr Herbert Masunda, the head for Furanai Village was left counting losses after five homesteads, including his, were destroyed by the Deputy Sheriff at the instigation of Mr Richard Mukari who is head of Vanhukwavo Village, both under Chief Mukanganwi.
Headman Mukari secured a court order to evict 26 families and has since enlisted the services of the Deputy Sheriff to evict them.
At the centre of the dispute is a piece of land in Ward 13 which Headman Mukari argues belonged to the Duma tribe, but is being occupied by Headman Masunda who is of the Rozvi tribe.
Headman Masunda argues that he is the heir apparent and he inherited the land from his father, Mr Tariro Masunda who remained behind while other Rozvi tribesman migrated to Gokwe in the 1960s.
Problems started when Headman Masunda approached the magistrates court seeking to evict Headman Mukari for encroaching onto his land.
The court granted the order and Headman Mukari left the area, but not before he appealed to the High Court against the lower court's decision.
The High Court upheld his appeal on a technicality and that marked the beginning of Headman Masunda's problems.
In an interview, Headman Masunda said he was the legitimate owner of the piece of land.
"Furanai village was registered in 1957," he said.
"At the height of hostilities between the Rozvi tribe and the Duma, the Rozvi went to Gokwe but my father remained here in control of this land."
But Headman Mukari also claimed the same piece of land.
"Furanai village is in Gokwe," he said.
"If Masunda wants to head Furanai village, he should go to Gokwe where his tribesman are."
Zanu-PF Central Committee member Cde Claudious Makova bemoaned the destruction of the property.
Source - herald
