News / National
Schools close over spousal dispute
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A bitter ownership dispute between former business partners Janet Dapi and Watson Mirio Magwenzi is putting the education of more than 300 learners at Elizzy and Dyllan Primary and Secondary Schools at risk. The conflict, which involves legal, ethical, and social concerns, has sparked alarm among parents, teachers, and the broader community.
Founded in 2022 in Chitungwiza and later relocated to Hwedza, the school benefited from significant infrastructural development, including borehole drilling and classroom construction, largely under Dapi's financial and administrative leadership. The institution has earned a reputation for academic excellence, achieving one of the highest Zimbabwe Schools Examination Council Ordinary Level pass rates in Hwedza district, and recently won a zonal athletics championship.
The dispute escalated after Marondera Magistrate Tamara Chibindi granted an interdict preventing Dapi and the school from carrying out any business at the Hwedza premises pending the outcome of an eviction suit at the High Court. The ruling also bars interference with the applicant's operations at the site.
Dapi alleges that Magwenzi exploited political and familial connections, including his cousin Headman Munzverengi, to acquire state leasehold rights over the school land, despite her prior legal and financial contributions. Among those affected by the dispute is the couple's own 13-year-old child, highlighting the personal toll of the conflict.
In her complaint to the police, Dapi accused Headman Munzverengi of soliciting bribes and stated that she was being deliberately sidelined as a woman. She alleged attempts to manipulate official records and accused traditional leaders of colluding to reallocate the school land to Magwenzi's family.
The High Court is set to hear the case on September 11. Meanwhile, stakeholders have petitioned the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education to intervene, calling for the reoccupation of the school premises, restoration of educational services, and investigation into the legality of the land reallocation.
"The dispute is a direct assault on children's access to education and their right to a stable academic environment," the petitioners said, emphasizing concerns over systemic gender discrimination and the potential long-term impact on learners.
As the legal battle unfolds, parents and educators remain hopeful that the courts and government will act swiftly to safeguard the interests of the students and ensure uninterrupted education at the school.
Founded in 2022 in Chitungwiza and later relocated to Hwedza, the school benefited from significant infrastructural development, including borehole drilling and classroom construction, largely under Dapi's financial and administrative leadership. The institution has earned a reputation for academic excellence, achieving one of the highest Zimbabwe Schools Examination Council Ordinary Level pass rates in Hwedza district, and recently won a zonal athletics championship.
The dispute escalated after Marondera Magistrate Tamara Chibindi granted an interdict preventing Dapi and the school from carrying out any business at the Hwedza premises pending the outcome of an eviction suit at the High Court. The ruling also bars interference with the applicant's operations at the site.
Dapi alleges that Magwenzi exploited political and familial connections, including his cousin Headman Munzverengi, to acquire state leasehold rights over the school land, despite her prior legal and financial contributions. Among those affected by the dispute is the couple's own 13-year-old child, highlighting the personal toll of the conflict.
In her complaint to the police, Dapi accused Headman Munzverengi of soliciting bribes and stated that she was being deliberately sidelined as a woman. She alleged attempts to manipulate official records and accused traditional leaders of colluding to reallocate the school land to Magwenzi's family.
The High Court is set to hear the case on September 11. Meanwhile, stakeholders have petitioned the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education to intervene, calling for the reoccupation of the school premises, restoration of educational services, and investigation into the legality of the land reallocation.
"The dispute is a direct assault on children's access to education and their right to a stable academic environment," the petitioners said, emphasizing concerns over systemic gender discrimination and the potential long-term impact on learners.
As the legal battle unfolds, parents and educators remain hopeful that the courts and government will act swiftly to safeguard the interests of the students and ensure uninterrupted education at the school.
Source - Newsday
