Minister of State for Masvingo Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Ezra Chadzamira, has called on local authorities and the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education to fast-track the formal registration of Riverton Academy (Murinye Extension) so the school can operate legally.
Chadzamira convened a meeting with Chief Murinye and businessman Philimon Mutangiri following a clash over the school’s opening on Sunday.
The dispute arose when Chief Murinye, born Elias Munodawafa, blocked the road leading to the new school, claiming he had not authorised its construction. Mutangiri, who comes from Machingura Village, built the school on his ancestral land.
The situation escalated as vehicles carrying parents and students were stopped by the chief, who used his Isuzu truck to block access. Police from Muchakata Police Station in Masvingo Central intervened to remove the obstruction.
Following the incident, Chadzamira held a meeting to reconcile the parties. Speaking after the meeting at his Masvingo office, he said the school proprietors had formally applied to the relevant authorities, but the legal process had lagged behind the school’s construction.
Chadzamira added that the school could operate as a “satellite” of a registered institution while the formalities are completed, and learners should be allowed to attend classes without interference.
He stressed that Chief Murinye should not disrupt the school’s operations, saying his role as a traditional leader is to promote development, not hinder it. Said Chadzamira:
“The chief’s role is to encourage development in their areas. It’s not about being able to develop; it’s about promoting development in their areas.
“If there are things that are not going well, government offices are there. They should go to the responsible authorities to fix things that they see are not going well in their area.”
Chief Murinye disagreed with Chadzamira’s position. He conceded that learners could be allowed to use the facilities temporarily, but the school should be relocated to “a suitable place”. He added:
“Because we don’t want to bless an illegality. We cannot do that. Many people actually end up doing wrong things, hoping that at the end of the day, people will just say, it has been done already. Let them just proceed.
“It has happened even in housing. Land barons take land illegally and settle people there.
“And at the end of the day, you hear people saying, just sympathise with the people who are building.”
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