A senior government official has condemned a controversial traditional leader in Masvingo for extortionate behaviour after he blocked parents from dropping off their children at a newly established boarding school in the province.
Ephias Munodawafa, the current Chief Murinye , parked his government-issued Isuzu vehicle — which had no number plates — across the road leading to Riverton Academy Extension, causing kilometre-long traffic queues on both sides on Sunday.
The standoff occurred after the institution refused to enrol his children free of charge.
Munodawafa insisted the school would not open as scheduled because its owner, Philimon Mutangiri, had failed to seek his permission to build the institution, according to witnesses.
Mutangiri, however, accused the chief of extortion.
He told reporters that Munodawafa had previously demanded that his homestead be connected to electricity — a demand Mutangiri complied with by purchasing a transformer worth about US$7 000.
Mutangiri said the chief later returned with fresh demands, insisting the school sign a contract guaranteeing free education for all his children.
The school rejected the demand, leading to the standoff.
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Information Ministry permanent secretary Nick Mangwana said the chief's actions were unbecoming and amounted to abuse of authority.
“We must confront some uncomfortable realities. Is it a cultural norm, or an abuse of office, for a chief’s children to attend a private school for free simply because it was built on land within his jurisdiction?” Mangwana asked in a Facebook post.
“This is a potential conflict of interest and extortive behaviour that would be swiftly condemned in any other public office.
“When a chief presides over a dispute in a traditional court, does the process reflect the constitutional principle of a fair hearing, or are individuals denied the right to properly present their case or confront evidence against them?”
Mangwana emphasised that traditional leaders are custodians, not owners, of the land.
“The chief is not an owner, but a steward, a trustee holding these assets in faith for his people,” he said.
“How then can some justify the sale of communal land, pocketing the proceeds for personal benefit? This is not an exercise of traditional authority; it is a betrayal of trust and a gross excess.
“Such acts, if left unchecked, risk reducing a sacred office to a vehicle for personal enrichment, eroding public confidence and bringing the entire institution into disrepute.”
Chief Murinye’s history of controversy
- In 2010, he ordered all villagers in his ward to dig a 15km trench from the Mutirikwe River to his homestead in Mutusva. The project was abandoned after villagers resisted.
- In 2011, he tried to stop Econet from erecting a communications booster on a mountain, claiming his ancestors were buried there.
- In 2019, he angered authorities by accusing President Emmerson Mnangagwa and his top officials of tolerating corruption.
