The Office of the Master of the High Court has intervened to settle a protracted inheritance dispute that deprived two Marondera sisters of their rightful share of a family property for almost 30 years.
The dispute centres on a residential property in Dombotombo, Marondera, which became contested following the owner’s death in 1998.
Complicating the matter were two brothers who had emigrated from Malawi to Zimbabwe and shared the same name — Kasiya Langwani — despite holding different national identity numbers.
The elder brother settled in Harare and worked as a gardener in Chisipite, while the younger made his home in Marondera after acquiring Stand Number 28, Tafara Road, Dombotombo.
The younger Langwani raised a family and left behind three children — son Coldmate Langwani and daughters Beauty and Jane — when he died in 1998. At the time, the children were still minors: Coldmate about eight years old, Beauty four, and Jane one.
Estate inquiries indicate the children’s youth left them vulnerable to exploitation. Relatives associated with the elder Kasiya Langwani reportedly took control of the Marondera property and collected rental income that should have accrued to the deceased’s children and dependants.
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The situation was further muddied over the years when a son of the late Harare-based gardener allegedly married Coldmate’s widow after Coldmate’s own death, strengthening that branch of the family’s hold on the disputed asset.
For years the rightful beneficiaries did not pursue legal remedies, reportedly unaware of the avenues open to them. Recent efforts by the surviving sisters, however, prompted estate administrator Passmore Nyasha of Moreway Executors to engage the Office of the Master of the High Court to determine rightful ownership.
Following the intervention, the property has been restored to the lawful beneficiaries. The family has agreed to sell the house and distribute the proceeds according to inheritance law.
Nyasha confirmed the transfer to a prospective buyer is in progress and that occupants have been given three months’ notice. He identified the lawful beneficiaries as Beauty Langwani, Jane Langwani and the surviving spouse of Coldmate Langwani, who has a child by the deceased.
The case underscores the importance of sound estate administration and public awareness of inheritance rights. Across Zimbabwe, families continue to lose properties, pensions, death benefits and other assets because rightful heirs are either unaware of their entitlements or lack resources to pursue them.
Legal practitioners warn that many widows, children and dependants remain susceptible to dispossession by opportunistic relatives who exploit limited knowledge of inheritance procedures.
The Langwani matter is a reminder that, while justice can be delayed, legal mechanisms exist to protect beneficiaries and return assets to their rightful owners. It also highlights the urgent need for broader public education on estate administration to prevent other Zimbabweans from being deprived of what is legally theirs.
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