Bikita soap factory sparks ownership dispute

A long-abandoned soap factory in Majaya Village, Ward 32 under Chief Marozva in Bikita West has become the centre of a dispute between the local village head and members of the community who once operated the facility.

The soap-making project, established in 2000 as a women's empowerment initiative, was initially launched to train locals in soap production. However, it operated only for a few years before falling into disuse. Now, former members of the project claim they have been blocked from accessing the premises in a bid to revive the initiative.

Miriro Munhanga, who chairs the group of women that once ran the factory, expressed frustration at being denied entry to the facility. "We used to produce soap during the first few years after the project started. Though the project collapsed due to some challenges, we wanted to revive it. But now the land and the building are no longer accessible to us, as the village head gave it to someone else," she told TellZim News.

In response, the village head, Kumbirai Majaya Chisi, denied blocking community development. He insisted that the factory had lain idle for many years and was reallocated to someone now putting the space to productive use.

"I'm not stopping anyone from using the soap factory," Chisi said. "It was inactive for years, so I gave the land to someone else who is now using it productively."

Chisi explained that the factory had initially been funded by Gladmore Charamba as a project for his now-deceased mother, designed to benefit the wider community. He said he had reached out to Charamba to determine if there were plans to resume the project.

"I approached him to check if he wanted to continue funding the project so that I could give them another piece of land. He said he only wanted the roofing sheets from the building and nothing more," Chisi said.

However, the dispute over the factory has become entangled in a long-standing leadership conflict within the village. Chisi, who is the current village head, is locked in a power struggle with his nephew Jevas Ruvanda, who previously acted as headman during Chisi's youth but reportedly refused to relinquish power when Chisi came of age.

The succession battle has seen multiple court cases, including a High Court ruling in favour of Chisi. Despite the ruling, Ruvanda has allegedly continued to defy court orders.

Chisi's lawyer, Collen Maboke of Ruvengo and Maboke Legal Practitioners, said the legal case remains unresolved due to Ruvanda's non-compliance.

"Ruvanda could not easily surrender authority over the village which was given to him when Chisi was young. He later tried to have part of Majaya Village separated so that he could rename it Mutema Village," said Maboke.

He added that Ruvanda was sentenced to six months in jail for contempt of court, initially suspended but later served, due to repeated violations.

"The file of this case is not closed since Ruvanda does not comply with the ruling of the court of law," Maboke said.

As tensions simmer over both the soap factory and local leadership, community members say they remain hopeful that the facility can be returned to its original purpose—empowering local women and contributing to the area's economic development.