A 43-year-old Mutare man is evicting his mother from her matrimonial home, arguing that she is no longer part of the family as she has divorced his father.
Gogo Lois Jena returned to the house after living elsewhere for 10 years.
This did not go down well with her son, Maxwell Mutenda.
Mutenda states that his mother abandoned her young children and forced them to fend for themselves.
The mother-son feud has since spilled into the courts of law, with Gogo Jena applying for a protection order against Mutenda.
Gogo Jena said she is being forced to vacate her matrimonial house by her son.
“He is chasing away everyone staying at the house, saying he is the sole owner of the property. He is also chasing away my grandson. Where else can he go when this house is the only place he calls home?” argued Gogo Jena.
She said Mutenda also chased away her daughter after her separation from her husband.
“His sister returned home with her child. She was having marital problems with her husband and decided to return home. He chased her away while armed with a hoe. She ended up going back to her abusive husband,” said Gogo Jena.
She pleaded with the court to evict Mutenda.
“He is grabbing my property. When I caution him, he says that I should go back to my parents’ home where I was all these years. I am the sole owner of the house since I contributed a lot of money towards its construction when my husband was still alive,” she said.
The court heard that Gogo Jena left her children at the house in 1995, three years after her husband’s death following a misunderstanding with her brother-in-law.
“After my husband’s death, I stayed at my matrimonial home but later left following endless misunderstandings with my brother-in-law. I stayed at my parents’ home for 10 years but l had left my children behind as they did not allow me to take them with me.
“One of my daughters then asked me to return home since the house had been deserted. Everyone is now married or out of the country.
“By then Maxwell was in jail. When he was released, all hell broke loose. He is now 43 and should move out and start his own life instead of fighting his own mother,” she said.
Gogo Jena also said she is the one providing everything for Mutenda.
“He calls me a witch and says I possess snakes. He claims that I want to kill him so that I take over the house. He wants me out of my own house,” said Gogo Jena.
In response, Mutenda said the house belongs to him as his mother is no longer part of the Mutenda family following her divorce.
“She was divorced by my late father’s brother who had taken her in as his wife. She left the house and abandoned us for 10 years. She should go back to her parents’ home as the house is now mine. I am the only surviving son,” said Mutenda.
“On the boy that l am chasing away, my late brother doubted his paternity. He confided that to me before his death. I have been trying to tell my mother that she should send him away, but she insists that the boy has every right to remain at the house.
“I requested them to do a DNA test, but they are not co-operating. This is why I am always fighting with him,” he said.
Mutenda denied insulting his mother.
“I do not insult her. When l enquire about certain things in the house she ends up saying I am wrong. Everything I say is twisted to appear as if I do not respect her,” he said.
Mutare magistrate, Ms Purity Gumbo granted the protection order in Gogo Jena’s favour.
Ms Gumbo advised Gogo Jena to apply for an eviction order.
