Mugabe ‘secret son’ digs in over estate

A HARARE man, who claims to be former president Robert Gabriel Mugabe’s secret son, says he temporarily withdrew his High Court application where he is seeking a share of the late strongman’s estate after noticing some loopholes that could have weakened his case.

 

Tonderai Gabriel Mugabe appeared before High Court judge Justice Tawanda Chitapi last Friday where he withdrew his original application saying he needed to rectify certain issues that might disadvantage him.

 

He is suing Bona Mugabe, the executor of Mugabe’s estate.

 

In his withdrawn application seeking the reopening of the estate, Tonderai had cited Bona, the registrar of births and deaths and the master of the High Court as respondents.

 

Last Friday, his lawyers said they wanted a review of the decision of the master of the High Court who proceeded in sharing the property despite the existence of pending cases in the High Court.

 

Tonderai then said he would resubmit a stronger challenge this week.

 

In his application, Tonderai was seeking a ruling directing Bona to furnish him with a copy of the late Mugabe’s death certi cate to enable the registrar of births and deaths to e ect an amendment to his birth certi cate so that it re ects the identity of his father.

 

Tonderai said he was born on April 20, 1977 in Chimoio, Mozambique.

 

He said Mugabe was in a relationship with his late mother Hilda Maeka.

 

According to Tonderai, Mugabe and Maeka went their separate ways after the bombing of Chimoio with the late president thinking that she had passed away.

 

Tonderai said his parents met in Zimbabwe after Independence, and they would communicate.

 

“However, for reasons unknown to me, my late father did not want it to be disclosed to the public that I am his son, until at a later stage,” he submitted.

 

“Unfortunately my mother passed on before that disclosure. I had a di cult time being accepted into the rst family then given the fact that the late Robert Gabriel Mugabe was now married.

 

“Although I would meet my father occasionally, he would maintain it a secret to the rst family.”

 

Tonderai said he was in contact with siblings, such as his aunt Laurencia Machemedze Mugabe.

 

“Unfortunately, my father died before I was formally introduced to the Mugabe family,” Tonderai submitted.

 

Tonderai said he noti ed the master of the High Court about his claim that he was Mugabe’s son and was referred to Bona’s lawyers Messrs Hussein Ranchold and Company.

 

He said DNA results proved that he was Mugabe’s son.

 

Tonderai said despite the fact that the DNA proved he is Mugabe, the registrar of births and deaths refused to issue him with a birth certi cate.

 

Tonderai said he then approached Bona’s lawyers for the death certi cate to no avail saying Bona is always unavailable.

 

“E orts to meet her personally to discuss this matter and request for a copy of the deceased’s death certificate have been made severally but all have been fruitless,” he said.

 

“With the evidence adduced so far, in particular, the DNA results, I am entitled to the late Robert Gabriel Mugabe’s death certi cate so that I get a corrected birth certi cate.

 

“On that basis, the executor should be compelled to release the deceased’s death certi cate to me for purposes of correcting my birth certi cate as required by the registrars of birth and deaths.”

 

Mugabe’s known children were conceived with his second wife Grace and they are Bona, Robert Junior and Chatunga. The Standard