Man seeks Zanu-PF intervention in Bulawayo estate dispute

A Bulawayo resident has appealed to the leadership of Zanu-PF to intervene in a long-running dispute involving a deceased estate and alleged irregularities within the justice system, saying his efforts to obtain relief through formal judicial and oversight channels have been unsuccessful.

Mackenzie Mlotshwa of Woodville suburb has written to Zanu-PF Bulawayo provincial chairperson Jabulani Sibanda, requesting that his complaint be forwarded to President Emmerson Mnangagwa after he allegedly failed to secure a response from relevant institutions.

In a letter dated May 29, Mlotshwa said he resorted to the ruling party after unsuccessful attempts to engage the Judicial Service Commission (JSC), judicial officials and the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC).

“All what I am asking His Excellency to do is to compel the Judicial Service Commission to respond to my letter of close to three months ago,” he said.

He claims his complaints relate to alleged irregularities in the handling of a deceased estate at the Bulawayo High Court and says the lack of response has undermined his confidence in the justice delivery system.

Mlotshwa said earlier efforts to deliver his concerns directly to the Office of the President and Vice Presidents Constantino Chiwenga and Kembo Mohadi were also unsuccessful.

The dispute centres on the estate of his late relative, Daya Mlotshwa, who died in 1979. The matter involves the administration of estate DRB 987/20 and has reportedly remained unresolved for years due to contested legal processes.

Court documents indicate that Campion Mlotshwa was appointed executor dative, but disagreements have persisted regarding the distribution of assets, including a 106-hectare farm at the centre of the family feud.

Mlotshwa alleges that court processes were mishandled and that key rulings were not promptly uploaded to the court's electronic system following a case management meeting held on November 28, 2025, before High Court judge Munamato Mutevedzi.

He further claims that subsequent procedural developments, including the striking off of a re-filed application by Judge Justice Moyo, raised concerns about the handling of the matter.

The complainant has also questioned whether judicial officers can be held accountable for alleged misconduct, arguing that repeated complaints to oversight bodies have not yielded meaningful responses.

However, the Judicial Service Commission reportedly advised him that legal remedies remain available through the courts, including appeals.

The Master of the High Court has confirmed a distribution account for the estate, stating that it proceeded lawfully as no active court order was in place to suspend the process.

Parties involved in the dispute have denied any wrongdoing and maintain that all legal processes were properly followed. The judges named in the matter have defended their rulings, with Justice Mutevedzi stating that one of the applications was “essentially unopposed.”

Meanwhile, Campion Mlotshwa has rejected allegations of misconduct, accusing Mackenzie Mlotshwa of abusing court processes. He has indicated that he was instructed to administer the estate without charge and has proposed placing the disputed farm into a family trust to resolve the impasse.

As of now, Zanu-PF Bulawayo provincial leadership had not yet responded to the letter, while the broader dispute remains before judicial and administrative authorities.