The late Murengwa died on May 9, 2021 at Mpilo Hospital
after he was admitted at the health institution for four days.
The decades-long feud that is reportedly tearing the family
apart emanates from an incident when the late Murengwa was kicked out of the
family home — number 2240 Makokoba suburb — after he was accused of infidelity
by his wife Jane Madyara in 2005. He was not allowed back into the family and
stayed at Vundu Flats in the same suburb until his death, recounted his son
Talent.
“I was in South Africa when my father was kicked out of the
family home by my mother and sisters back in 2005 for what they alleged was
infidelity on his part and he left to stay at Vundu Flats for all these years
until he passed away.
“There has been tension in the family since my father left
the family home but it was my hope that one day we would find each other and
resolve our differences. Unfortunately the feud was never resolved despite my
many attempts for us to sit down as a family and talk about our problems and
now things have gotten worse because my father is still in the mortuary for
over two-and-a-half years,” narrated Talent.
Things came to a head when Talent was barred from coming
into contact with his mother Jane and his sisters through a restraining order
that was granted by the Bulawayo Magistrates Court in 2022, a few months after
Murengwa died.
“My father passed away in May 2021 and I immediately
travelled back home from South Africa to bury him but we could not agree on
anything with my mother and sisters. They declared that they wanted nothing to
do with his burial and that I should do it on my own. I went back to South
Africa hoping that they would come back to their senses and we would reach an
agreement to bury the old man and let him rest in peace,” said Talent.
Months went by and the two warring parties still did not
see eye to eye.
Months turned into years and today Talent is still being
haunted by dreams of his father pleading for a decent burial. He relocated back
to Bulawayo permanently in early 2022, tried once more to convince his family
to see reason and bury Murengwa.
His constant visits to the family home in Makokoba suburb
to talk to his mother Jane soon landed him on the wrong side of the law.
“I’m not allowed anywhere near the family home because of a
restraining order that my mother and sisters applied for and was granted at
Tredgold (Bulawayo Magistrates Court). They accused me of being a nuisance at
the family home so I’m not allowed to contact them in any way otherwise I will
go to jail for violating the restraining order.
“All I want is to bury my father. He keeps coming to my
dreams pleading to be buried.”
He is appealing for assistance for DNA (Deoxyribonucleic
acid) tests to be carried at the National University of Science and Technology
(Nust) so that authorities are satisfied that the right corpse is released to
the rightful family for burial.
“The hospital authorities said the body has stayed in the
mortuary for far too long and that his body can only be released when DNA tests
confirm that he is my biological father. The DNA tests cost US$170 so I’m
pleading with well-wishers to assist me pay Nust so that I start preparations
to bury my father”.
Talent has also sought the assistance of Industry and
Commerce Deputy Minister Raj Modi who is also the Zanu-PF Member of Parliament
for Bulawayo South constituency, which covers Makokoba suburb, for funds to
bury his father.
Minister Modi said he will send his team to find out how he
can assist Talent.
A cellphone number provided by Talent to Saturday Chronicle
to get a comment from his mother Jane was unreachable and on Thursday afternoon
the news crew was told by a woman at the family home that Jane was visiting a
relative out of town.
The late Murengwa worked at a local courier company for 45
years until his retirement.
His youngest daughter is reportedly going through mental
health challenges, and in Talent’s own words: “My sister says she has gone mad
because our father is angry that we have not buried him. Now my family is also
accusing me of witchcraft saying that I’m the reason why my young sister has
lost her mind”.
Those who wish to assist him bury his father can contact
Talent on 0773 956 768. Chronicle
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