Fidelis Munyoro
Chief Court Reporter
The estate of the late businessman Wicknell Munodaani Chivayo has entered a decisive new phase, with the Master of the High Court today formally appointing two women as Co-Executrixes Datives, setting in motion the legal process of administering his estate.
Esther Chivayo and Sonja Louise Madzikanda have been officially authorised to administer the estate following recommendations submitted by their lawyers and an edict meeting held last week, culminating in the issuance of Letters of Administration under reference number 105417/26.
In a letter dated November 9, 2026, the Master of the High Court confirmed the appointments, bringing formal recognition to the two administrators and empowering them to undertake the responsibilities associated with winding up the deceased’s estate.
The letter, signed by an official identified as Nyagano on behalf of the Master of the High Court, states:
“These are to certify that Esther Chivayo and Somja Louise Madzikanda have been duly appointed the Co-Executrixes Datives, and are hereby authorised as such to administer the estate of the late Wicknell Munodaani Chivayo, who died at Marondera on the 30th day of September 2026.Thus done and signed at Harare, Zimbabwe, on this 9th day of November 2026.”
The appointment follows the legal processes undertaken in connection with the deceased’s estate, including the recommendations presented by the legal practitioners and the edict meeting convened last week.
The Letters of Administration now provide the two appointees with formal authority to administer the estate in accordance with Zimbabwean law.
However, the appointment also comes with significant statutory obligations.
In the same communication, the Master drew the executrixes’ attention to their responsibility to account for their administration of the estate within the prescribed period.
The letter warns that every executor is required by law to lodge an account of their administration with the Master of the High Court.
It further states that any executor who fails to submit the account within six months of appointment, without lawful and sufficient excuse, risks forfeiting any fees to which they would otherwise have been entitled.
The Master also cautioned that where an account is not lodged within the stipulated six months, the office is empowered to summon the executor before the High Court.
“This serves, therefore, to inform you that the above provisions of the law be strictly enforced,” the letter reads.
The warning underscores the importance of transparency, accountability and compliance as the administration of the estate gets under way.
With the November 9 appointment now formalised, Esther Chivayo and Sonja Louise Madzvanda assume the responsibility of administering the estate under the supervision of the Master of the High Court.
Their appointment marks a significant procedural development in the estate administration process, with attention now turning to the execution of their legal duties and the eventual accounting for the estate in accordance with the law.
