Inheritance Dispute Erupts in Mutasa as Lameck Mutseyekwa Battles Siblings Over Father’s Estate
A heated inheritance feud has erupted in Mutasa, where Lameck Mutseyekwa claims his half-siblings demolished part of their late father’s house and are attempting to disinherit him.
The dispute, recently heard before Chief Mutasa’s traditional court, involves children from two marriages clashing over property left behind by their polygamous father.
Mutseyekwa accused his half-sister, Catherine Mutseyekwa, of tearing down a section of the family home, saying it was an attempt to force him out.
“My father was polygamous with two wives, and they are both late. The first wife’s children are now taking away land from me, saying it is theirs,” said Lameck.
“I inherited my father’s house, but Catherine demolished part of it, saying it was her section of the house, and that I should not benefit from it,” he added.
He said Catherine had warned him before the demolition, but he was in South Africa at the time and unable to intervene.
“She told me before she demolished the house, and I told her that it was wrong.
“When I left for South Africa, I later heard that she had demolished it. This is nothing but an attempt to force me out of my parents’ homestead,” said Lameck.
He maintains that his father formally allocated the property to him before his death. However, his half-brother, Hondo Mutseyekwa, disputed the claim, saying the house belonged to the children of the first wife.
“The house he is talking about belonged to my mother, father, and our siblings. By the time his mother came into the family, that house and land were already ours,” said Hondo.
“We gave him his mother’s land, and he can build there. That house belongs to us as children of the first wife, and to our widowed sister, Catherine,” he added.
Catherine defended the demolition, saying it was a family decision based on safety concerns.
“My husband died, and I went back home. I was supposed to stay in the house that my late parents lived in.
“One of the rooms had cracks on the wall, and as a family, we agreed to take down that room and refurbish it. It was not malice, it was a structural decision,” said Catherine
She dismissed Lameck’s accusations as exaggerated. “I would never destroy what my parents built just to spite someone. What we did was in the best interest of the family,” she said.
The dispute deepened when Hondo’s son, Terrence, was accused of illegally planting bananas on land Lameck claims is part of his inheritance.
“I did not know that he was against my farming on that land. If I had known, I would not have done it. In fact, I was not aware that the land was not mine. This whole issue is just a misunderstanding,” said Terrence.
According to Manicapost, the case has exposed long-standing tensions within the family, with each side accusing the other of greed and manipulation.
Presiding over the matter, Chief Mutasa condemned the behavior and warned against inheritance bullying rooted in polygamous family structures.
“I will not tolerate situations where some family members take advantage of others simply because they are from different mothers,” said Chief Mutasa.
“In our culture, when a man dies, all his children remain his children regardless of which wife gave birth to them. No one has the right to push out or dispossess another,” he added.
He emphasized that inheritance must be handled with fairness and respect for the deceased’s wishes.
“Destroying houses or forcibly taking land is not how inheritance is shared. It only breeds hatred and divisions in families,” said Chief Mutasa.
He ordered the family to declare the full estate of their late father through the Master of the High Court, after it emerged that Lameck was not benefiting from a house in Harare left behind by their father.
“You must find a way to co-exist and share what your parents left behind. If you cannot do it amicably, I will not hesitate to summon elders and redistribute everything in a way that ensures fairness.
“Greed will not be entertained in this court,” said Chief Mutasa.
