By A Correspondent- A Mutare man who was asking for his rentals was allegedly forced to desert his home after his machete-wielding nephew chased him for making the demands.

The matter was heard at the Mutare Civil Court where Ruka Zimunya had hauled his nephew, Julius Kamunda, for a peace order application.

Magistrate Mr Xavier Chipato granted the peace order in Zimunya’s favour.

The order is valid for a year.

Kamunda was instructed not to insult, harass or threaten Zimunya, and to keep peace at all the times.

Zimunya was also advised to apply for an eviction order if he no longer wants to stay with Kamunda.

Zimunya told the court that he grew up in the same village with Kamunda and knew his parents very well.

Following the death of Kamunda’s parents and noticing how he had fallen on hard times, Zimunya took him in.

They allegedly agreed that Kamunda would pay USD$10 as monthly rentals.

However, Kamunda only paid the agreed amount for two months.

He is my nephew, and we grew up together. After discovering that things were not good for him following the death of his parents, I decided to take him to my village so that he could stay at my house, look after my cattle and work in the fields.

“However, we agreed that he would pay monthly rentals of USD$10. Unfortunately, he only paid for two months. I started staying with him in 2021 and this is now 2023,” said Zimunya.

He said he tried to settle the issue amicably, but Kamunda failed to comply, until his uncle ended up reporting him to the rent board.

Still, Kamunda refused to pay the rentals.

“I went to the rent board after Kamunda had repeatedly refused to pay my rentals. I was advised to give him a notice, which I served him, but up until now he is still refusing to vacate the room,” said Zimunya.

“After I served him with the notice, he chased me away from my own house with a machete. All my neighbours were watching, and I fled to the fields for my own safety.

“I later approached Chief Zimunya. Kamunda was summoned to the court and was ordered to vacate my property but again he didn’t comply,” said Zimunya.

However, Kamunda told the court that he never agreed to pay rentals.

He said they only agreed that he would look after Zimunya’s cattle, homestead and fields.

He also denied chasing Zimunya with a machete.

He said Zimunya should openly tell him to go if he no longer wants him at his property.

He added that by making all the aforementioned allegations, Zimunya was avoiding to pay an undisclosed amount of money he owes his nephew for ploughing his fields.

“We never agreed on the said rentals. He told me that I was going to look after his homestead and do some farming chores. He was supposed to pay me for that.

“He is cooking up stories to avoid giving me my money. He is now accusing me of chasing him away from his own house. He should give me my money and I will go if he no longer wants me there,” said Kamunda.

However, Zimunya disputed all this and reiterated that no longer wants Kamunda at his property.

— Manica Post