Online Reporter
Lovemore Kadzura
Post Reporter
IN the sunbaked soils of Buhera under Chief Makumbe – a long‑standing boundary dispute between two village heads has erupted into a humanitarian crisis, forcing 16 families from their homes, and leaving nearly 100 people – women, children, and elders – sheltering in abandoned structures.
The conflict, which has simmered for years between Sabhuku Ngundu and Marume, reached a breaking point late last year when the latter clan acted on a 2015 High Court order to evict members of the former clan, including Sabhuku William Ngundu himself.
What began as a legal claim over land has now turned into a desperate scramble for shelter, food, and safety.
The evicted families have taken refuge in a former community hall, dilapidated clinic, and several abandoned farm outbuildings.
With no electricity, limited water, and only makeshift bedding, conditions are far from humane.
Children huddle under thin blankets, and mothers share a single cooking pot, preparing meals over open fires.
The dispute’s roots lie in a contested boundary line that both clans claim as ancestral land.
Over the years, attempts at mediation by traditional authorities and district officials have failed to produce a lasting agreement, and the 2015 High Court ruling, intended to settle the matter, has instead become a catalyst for displacement.
The affected families are appealing for the intervention of higher authorities to resolve the dispute.
The absence of a substantive Chief Makumbe – a vacuum being abused by several unrecognised acting ones – has also been cited as the major reason why the two village heads are fighting.
The area also does not have a headman.
Sabhuku William Ngundu is challenging the court order, alleging that the court process was carried out without their knowledge. He argued that they were never cited and their names do not appear on the court documents which Sabhuku Marume is using to evict them.
In an interview, Sabhuku Ngundu said they were evicted from their ancestral land, leaving them stranded with no shelter or food, while children are no longer attending school.
“The reason for our eviction is that Abia Makumbe (Sabhuku Marume) is claiming the land we live on. Our clan has been staying there since 1902, when the founding Chief Makumbe was installed.The land was allocated by Chief Nyashanu. We are from the same clan as the Marumes, but what is happening has severely strained the relationship.
“We never crossed into Sabhuku Marume’s territory. They are the ones who are encroaching into our territory.
“We are all substantive village heads with distinct territories. At the moment there is no substantive Chief Makumbe or an acting one appointed by the Provincial Chief’s Council.
“We were surprised to see the Sheriff of the High Court evicting us, yet we were never informed of the High Court proceedings.
“We were never served with the summons to attend the court hearings. Our names are not even on the court papers. The applicant is Abia Makumbe and the respondent is Ruzvidzo Marume, who is not part of us. This is how they secured a default judgment they are now using against us.
“As a traditional leader, I am aware that before an eviction, alternative land and accommodation must be organised, and in our case it was not done.
“We are stranded right now as 16 families were evicted from their homes. They have promised to evict more people as the area they are claiming has 29 village heads.
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Our area has no headman and there is an ongoing process to create a Marume headmanship,” he said, adding that they will fight for their return to their former homesteads by engaging Government and appealing against the default judgment.
“The challenge started in 2013 following the death of Chief Chakanyuka Makumbe. The Marumes did not raise the boundary issue when a new chief was appointed because they knew that the boundary also covered the chief’s homestead. Right now there is no chief, and they chose to do this to us. Evicted people are being sheltered at disused Buhera Rural District Council houses and beer halls, and others are in unoccupied houses. We are within the radius, expecting to return since we are expecting Government intervention. Our rights are being violated, houses destroyed, crops slashed and children are no longer going to school. We are suffering because of a default judgment. Our papers are clean and we have a map of our area,” said Sabhuku Ngundu.
Sabhuku Marume accused Sabhuku Ngundu of encroaching into his area, settling his people after allegedly receiving some payments and creating new villages in anticipation of being upgraded to the pending headmanship position.
“Our case is very clear and straightforward. Our dispute with them has been before traditional courts, council and the High Court, and they were told to vacate our land. They are lying that they have been there since time immemorial. They do not have a paper trail to back their claim.
“He has been installing village heads, about 11 of them, since the death of his brother. They are creating villages and appointing village heads, thinking that they will land the headmanship. There is a clear boundary, a mountain, but they are encroaching into our area. William is going as far as Marange to bring people from their church and settle them on our land, getting payment in the form of money and livestock. Only 16 families were evicted,” he said.
Buhera District Development Coordinator Mr Freeman Mavhiza said Government is treating the affected people as internally displaced people and is working on a solution.
“They are internally displaced people and higher authorities have been informed. We are mobilising assistance for them,” he briefly said.
Mrs Memory Ngundu said they are now living in crowded and squalid conditions.
She revealed they are staying in a four‑roomed house as a family of 19 people.
“The problem started after the death of Chief Makumbe, when the Marumes started claiming the land we were settled on. We were ordered by the Deputy Sheriff to remove important items such as money and identity cards. They loaded our property into their truck and dumped it in Ngundu Mountain. After they left, we returned our property to our homes, and since the rain had started, we planted our summer crops. They also started ploughing in our fields.
“We reported the matter to the police and instead it was us who were arrested and made to pay fines. The Marumes fenced our homes and chased us from the village. We are currently living in disused bars and houses which are not safe for us and our children. Two women have since given birth under the squalid conditions. The roofs are leaking and our food has gone bad. We are surviving through piece work in the fields and selling chickens. We are in a polygamous marriage with three co‑wives, and we are staying in one room. This house is sheltering 19 people,” she said.
Mrs Martha Guma said they have run out of food as their food stock was soaked in the rain, and is now struggling to feed her five children.
“I have been married and staying in Mhere Village for the past 12 years – this is where my husband’s family has been residing since time immemorial. The issue started in November 2025 when our property was dumped on top of the mountain. On December 18, 2025, the Marumes came, fenced off our homestead and ordered us to leave. I have five children and we were chased while it was raining. Our food was soaked in water and got rotten,” she said.
Mrs Winnet Ndiripo said a woman gave birth by the roadside and her four children have since dropped out of school. She is surviving through piece jobs.
“I have eight children, and four used to attend school before the evictions, but are no longer attending, while four others are still young. We are appealing for help so that our children can attend a nearby school. We have run out of food and we are surviving on piece work from well‑wishers. Accommodation is also a challenge. One woman gave birth by the roadside as we were moving,” she said.
Bongani Ndlovu