Zimbabwe News Update
zimcelebsblitz
3 min read
a land ownership dispute inzvimba districthas taken a violent turn after a video circulated online showing a man,marshal mutandwa, assaulting a woman identified aspedzisai gambangain a field earlier this year. the incident, which occurred injanuary 2025, has drawn attention to ongoing conflicts over communal land rights and ownership in the area. according to details confirmed by local authorities and court documents, the confrontation stemmed from a disagreement over apiece of communal land in mapopo village, murombedzi, which mutandwa claims was unlawfully occupied by gambanga and others. mutandwa argues that the land was originally set aside forcommunity development projects, including the construction of aschool, and was not meant for private ownership or sale.
in the viral video, mutandwa can be seen confronting gambanga in the disputed field. both parties later confirmed that the altercation became physical. gambanga admitted to assaulting mutandwa during the incident and was subsequently arrested. she reportedly spent a night in police custody before paying afine of usd 15as an admission of guilt. mutandwa’s lawyer stated that the confrontation arose after community members who had allegedly purchased portions of the land tried to block the development of a newschool project.
the lawyer further claimed that some of the individuals involved were later seendestroying a partially built classroom block, wielding “spears, catapults, and other dangerous weapons.” the disputed land, according to documentation signed in2019, had previously been earmarked for community programs under anincome generating project (igp). the project involvedpoultry farming, fish farming, piggery, and horticulture, with the aim of empowering local residents through training and income support initiatives. he added that the disruptions brought construction work to a halt, despite the project being intended to offerfree education to children in the community.
the lawyer said, “these individuals stopped construction after leaking that january video, which they used to discredit the project and justify their occupation of the land.” court documents from thezvimba community courtandchinhoyi magistrates courtshow a long-standing dispute over this land. in one ruling dated10 april 2025, chief zvimba and village assessors ruled in favour ofjohn mutandwa, a the father of marshal, affirming that the land should be returned for community development use. the judgment noted that some individuals, includingchenjerai chaibvaandmoira muinga, had purchased parts of the land from villagers without traditional or legal authorization. the local court declared the transactions invalid, confirming that the area in question belonged to the wider community.
a follow-upmagistrates court ruling on 21 october 2025granted awarrant of ejectment and executionagainst chaibva, muinga, and three others. the court authorized theireviction from mutandwa fieldsin mapopo village and ordered them to pay court costs amounting tousd 9. mutandwa and his supporters insist the land was always intended for acentre of excellencethat provided training in agriculture and other community empowerment projects. in his account, mutandwa said that individuals who now claim long-term occupation of the land are misleading the public. “the woman in the video does not live on that land. she stays across the road in the nearby village,” he said.
local leaders have since urged calm and appealed to all parties to respect thechief’s rulingand the authority of traditional and judicial systems. they emphasized that the matter has been legally settled and that efforts are underway to resume construction of thecommunity school. source: zimcelebs blitz
