Former Mashonaland East Provincial Affairs minister Joel Biggie Matiza has approached the High Court seeking an order to compel his son, Tendai Muchando, to undergo paternity tests, as he now doubted fathering him.
BY CHARLES LAITON
The former Zanu PF Mashonaland East chairperson alleged that Tendai’s mother, Rosemary Muchando confessed her son was fathered by someone else.
Through his lawyers, Jambo Legal Practice, Matiza filed a court application on September 20 this year seeking a compelling order to force Tendai to undergo DNA tests.
In his application, Matiza said in 1992, Rosemary successfully sued him for maintenance and since then, he looked after Tendai, as his own son, until 2015, when Rosemary confessed that he was not her son’s father.
“Ever since the respondent’s (Tendai) biological mother Rosemary Muchando disclosed to him that I am not his biological father, the respondent has been acting outrageously in an uncontrolled manner and disturbing my peace,” Matiza said.
“It has become critical that the respondent gets compelled to go through the process, as this is the only way to demonstrate to the respondent whether or not I am his biological father. The results of such tests will also be a basis for me to seek a restraining order against him.”
The former minister also said Tendai was refusing to accept reality, but rather, had become abusive and accusing him and his mother of conniving to misrepresent facts over paternity.
- Chamisa under fire over US$120K donation
- Mavhunga puts DeMbare into Chibuku quarterfinals
- Pension funds bet on Cabora Bassa oilfields
- Councils defy govt fire tender directive
Keep Reading
“He perpetually budges at my business premises unannounced and uninvited demanding to see me. He also makes requests and demands for financial aid. If he is denied access into the building, he acts uncouthly by shouting at the top of his voice to unnecessarily draw attention and in the process polluting the professional; image of my business premises,” he said.
“He (Tendai) perpetually verbally abuses me in the presence of my staff members, causing me unnecessary humiliation and emotional distress … he perpetually causes public disorder, especially at my business premises, claiming that I have connived with Rosemary Muchando regarding the issue of paternity.”
Most recently, Matiza said Tendai allegedly agreed to undergo paternity tests at Lancet Laboratories in Harare, but before the process had been started, he bolted out and vowed not to continue the process.
“The respondent and I agreed to start the process at Lancet. After completing the necessary formalities at Lancet the officials started the process. However, just before they could start drawing a blood sample from the respondent, he stormed out of the Lancet premises insisting that he was no longer interested in going through with the process,” Matiza said.
“Efforts to encourage, convince and/or persuade the respondent were fruitless, as he remained adamant that he was not interested, yet he has been relentless in terms of his unbecoming conduct … In light of the above, it is common cause that unless the respondent is compelled to go through the paternity testing process, he will not be willing to participate voluntarily.”
