An 83-year-old Zaka man, Mutawa Chiro, his daughter-in-law and eight grandchildren have been living in the open since January after their homestead was allegedly destroyed by the village head following a land dispute.
Chiro said his family was thrown out of the village by a messenger of court after he clashed with the village head identified as Kwangware, real name Murevesi Chinyama.
The octogenarian told NewsDay recently that efforts to have the matter resolved had failed. “I was thrown out from my homestead on January 27 after the messenger of court came with an eviction order,” Chiro said.
“Our two round huts, a toilet and a granary, fowl run as well as our crops in the fields were destroyed after Kwangware called for an eviction order.We were then dumped here.”
He said his fallout with the village head reached the peak after the latter attempted to grab his crop field.
“This is purely a land dispute as he has since targeted my fields. It is just a long-standing grudge and they have found an excuse. I was evicted yet I had lived in the village since 1959‚” Chiro said.
Efforts to get a comment from the village head proved fruitless as his aides, armed with knobkerries and catapults, denied the news crew entry into the village.
Chiro said they were now surviving on free food handouts from well-wishers.
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“We have endured the rains, the cold and the heat. Our property has been destroyed, and we appeal for food. My grandchildren have dropped out of school, our whole way of life has been destroyed,” he said.
Chiro said he reported the matter at Chiredzana Police Base, but the police did not carry out any investigations.
“We are going to appeal to the DA (district administrator) as well as the chief,” he said.
Acting Masvingo provincial police spokesperson Assistant Inspector Charity Mazula yesterday professed ignorance over the matter.
“I have not yet received the report, but I will look into the matter,” she said.
Chiro’s daughter-in-law, Agneta Mupuwa, whose husband is in South Africa, said most of her household goods were destroyed by the rains while her children had dropped out of school as a result.
