Moffat Mungazi
Tendai Gukutikwa
Weekender Reporter
A FAMILY in Mutasa has been torn apart by a land dispute involving property that does not belong to them, but to the United Methodist Church.
The land in question, leased from Nyakatsapa United Methodist Church Mission, and situated within the mission’s premises, is now at the centre of a fierce infighting, accusations of illegal sales and endless legal battles.
At the centre of the feud is Charles Chidzinzwa, who claims that he inherited the land from his late father.
The matter appeared before Chief Mutasa’s community court recently.
According to Charles, there are three plots of land, and insisted that they are his rightful inheritance.
He accuses his aunt, Media Chidzinzwa, of denying him access to the land and unlawfully taking over his inheritance.
“This land is my father’s legacy. He left the land for me, but my aunt is denying me access to it. She was married and had her own home elsewhere.
“I even stood beside her as a groomsman when she got married. Now she is back here acting like she owns everything. She came back after the death of our grandparents and took over. That is when the problems started,” said Charles.
However, unbeknownst to Charles, the land belongs to UMC, and his aunt is the lessee who has been paying US$40 rentals to the church since 2015 when her mother passed on.
In her defence, Media said the land never belonged to their parents or the family.
“My parents were never allocated the land. They were leasing it from the UMC at Nyakatsapa Mission. When my father died in 1979 and my mother later passed away in 2015, I took over the lease. I am the one who is paying the US$40 every year to the mission. That is what has kept us on this land, including Charles, but he does not know that. He insists that the land belongs to the family, but we are only tenants,” said Media.
Charles’ brother, Blessing Chidzinzwa also alleged that Charles, despite knowing that the land was a leased church property, had sold portions of it to desperate home-seekers.
“He sold part of this land to a Mutisi and someone else. Each person paid US$1 000. The courts have since intervened, and the other buyer wants his US$3 000 back. Charles has been working with bogus village heads to legitimise these illegal sales, but the law caught up with them. The court issued an eviction order, and that buyer is now off the land,” he said.
He backed their aunt’s version of the whole saga.
“My brother is causing problems for all of us. He is creating tension. That land belongs to the mission. Auntie Media is the one paying for the lease. Charles went behind everyone’s back, sold the land, and now the people he sold it to are demanding their money.
“The courts have since ruled that the sale was illegal. If they are not happy, they should appeal to the High Court, but the fact remains, that land is not ours to sell,” said Blessing.
Chief Mutasa expressed frustration over families repeatedly dragging each other to court over land that clearly does not belong to them.
He said the lease agreement presented to the court clearly stated that the land belongs to the United Methodist Church, not to any individual or family member.
“This is not your land. It belongs to the church. This lease clearly shows that the land is church property, and the person paying the lease is Media. So Charles has no right to sell what is not his. What you are doing is illegal and unacceptable. If anything, the church should be the one suing Charles for illegally selling its land. Media should report this to the church immediately,” said Chief Mutasa.
He warned the family against continuous bickering.
“Stop dragging each other to court for something that was never yours. You are wasting time, energy and resources over leased land. Charles, if you continue with this behaviour, you will find yourself in serious legal trouble.
“No one has the right to sell land that belongs to another. As what the lease states, you can be kicked out if Media does not pay the annual US$40 rentals. You should be grateful to her for paying this money so that the whole family has somewhere to stay,” said Chief Mutasa.
Online Reporter