Chief Murinye, born Ephias Munodawafa, has written to President Emmerson Mnangagwa to challenge the operation of a new private boarding school in his area, Riverton Academy Murinye Extension.
The chief made national headlines on Saturday after he blocked learners from accessing the school, arguing that it was built without following proper procedures and has not been regularised.
The school is owned by Masvingo businessman Philemon Mutangiri.
In an interview with NewsDay, Chief Murinye said he will challenge the operation of the illegal school in his area, despite alleged intimidation by the army. He said:
“I have written to the president of the Chiefs Council, Chief Khumalo, and copied the President and other government officials to challenge the operation of an unregularised school in my area.
“I will not back off. This should be resolved. Yesterday I was intimidated by the army.
“I went to the offices where I had been summoned, armed with the Constitution because we need to follow the supreme law.
“But an army commander aggressively ordered me to close the Constitution, which means it is martial law.”
Mutangiri accused the traditional leader of demanding “endless freebies,” including free education for his children beyond his lifetime, claims that Chief Murinye has denied. He said:
“I have a son who was in Malaysia pursuing his studies. I forked out US$20 000 per year.
“I have never relied on Mutangiri for my children’s education.
“Even if I had failed to pay fees, if I had asked Mutangiri, what would have been the problem?”
Mutangiri also claimed that he spent US$7,000 to connect electricity to Chief Murinye’s homestead.
Chief Murinye acknowledged that the connection had taken place, but said the issue of electricity came well before Mutangiri said he wanted to build the school. He added:
“He is the one who initiated the gesture after realising that I had no power at my new residence after moving from my old residence, where there was power that was connected under President Mnangagwa’s leadership.”
Chief Murinye said the operation of the school violates proper procedures, warning that allowing such developments would normalise corruption and undermine governance in rural areas.
He added that on 8 August 2025, he wrote to Mutangiri, advising him to suspend construction until the proper procedures had been followed.
Minister of State for Masvingo Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Ezra Chadzamira, told journalists on Monday that the government had allowed the school to operate.
He said that while authorities encouraged the regularisation process to be completed first, the government viewed the school as a development initiative.
More: NewsDay
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