A 48-year-old man has been ordered by the Matero Local Court to vacate his parents’ house in Kaunda Square Stage One, following a dispute with his siblings over his failure to maintain the property or pay agreed-upon rent. Robert Siame, 56, acting on behalf of five siblings, took his younger brother Vincent Siame to court, alleging that Vincent had lived in the house since 1977 without contributing to its upkeep, despite using it freely and hosting multiple romantic partners there. The siblings stated that after their mother’s death, they agreed Vincent should leave so the house could generate rental income, but he refused.
They later arranged for him to pay K1,500 monthly for the two rooms he occupied, but Vincent only paid K900, claiming an uncle had approved the reduced amount—an agreement the siblings said was made without their consent. They also expressed frustration over Vincent’s conduct, alleging he frequently entertained different women in the house disrespectfully, especially in the presence of their elder sister who also resides there. In his defense, Vincent argued that his mother had permitted him to live and even marry from the home, as he had cared for her in her later years.
He said he earns only about K2,500 monthly from selling popcorn and cannot afford the rent his siblings are asking, noting that similar homes in the area rent for around K850. Magistrate Lewis Mumba ruled that the property belongs to the entire family and should be shared equally. He ordered Vincent to vacate the house within three months, starting from the end of January, so the family could either sell the property or rent it out, with proceeds distributed among all siblings. Vincent was left considering an appeal, while the court emphasized that the ruling aimed to ensure fairness and shared responsibility among the family members.
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