Kangai’s widow speaks on estate wrangle

THE widow of the national hero, Cde Kumbirai Kangai, Mrs Miriam Kangai, has expressed concern over the manner in which her two stepdaughters are attempting to exclude her from the execution of her husband’s estate through unscrupulous means, including what she deems malicious litigation.

Mrs Kangai said in an interview that her stepdaughters, Enea Maroveke and Marah Hativagone’s attempts to elbow her and the rest of the family out of the Luna Estate and Paarl Farm were acts of dishonesty.

She co-owned Luna Estate in Glen Forest, Harare and Paarl Farm located in Zvimba district.

Maroveke and Hativagone are claiming shares and directorship to the estate.

They have since reported Mrs Kangai to the police, saying she had forged the two companies’ registration certificates to claim ownership of the two firms.

Mrs Kangai vehemently denied the allegations, saying Maroveke cooked the accusations to tarnish her good name and that of the family.

She was quick to point a finger at both Maroveke and Hativagone, whom she accused of forging the companies’ registration papers to appear as if they were directors in the company.

“It is surprising how I could have forged documents of something that I own,” said Mrs Kangai. “We bought those companies with my late husband and there is a proper paper trail to that effect. Maroveke is the one who went on to forge the papers and the matter is in the hands of the police.”

The matter is being handled at CID Serious Frauds Borrowdale under CR299/05/15.

Mrs Kangai complained to the police that soon after the death of her husband in 2013, Maroveke and Hativagone, acting in common purpose, approached the Registrar of Companies where they removed an original CR14 for Luna Estate, which had her name as director and shareholder.

The original CR14 had the late national hero Cde Kangai as the chairperson of the company.

She indicated that Maroveke and Hativagone then went to replace it with a manufactured CR14 stating them as directors.

“We are saddened as a family resulting from the relentless attack by Enea Maroveke and Marah Hativagone towards myself and my late husband K. M. Kangai’s name and the children,” said Mrs Kangai.

“I was married to the late K.M. Kangai in 1981 in a civil union and have always been under attack from the two (Maroveke and Hativagone). I am shocked at the charges against me along with the rest of the family.

“Luna Estates (Pvt Ltd) was a company we bought and developed together with my late husband Cde K. M. Kangai sometime in 1988. Marah Hativagone together with the late Florence Garapo were appointed as nominal directors of the company by myself and my late husband K. M. Kangai, as he was heavily involved in the national affairs of the Government of Zimbabwe, as a Minister and Member of Parliament between 1980 and 2001.

“He worked tirelessly in various Portfolios up to the time of his death as the Senator-elect for Buhera District until 2013.

“Immediately after the death of Cde. K. M. Kangai, Marah Hativagone, despite not owning any shares in the company, and being a non-active nominal director in the above mentioned Private Limited Company-went on to fraudulently register herself and her sister, Enea Nyunyuto Maroveke as directors in the above-mentioned company.”

Mrs Kangai said her stepdaughters’ actions were also against a Will left by Cde Kangai, which was registered with the Master of the High Court.

“All other children or shareholders, including myself, were prejudiced by their actions,” she said. “A valid Will has since been registered by the Master of the High Court of Zimbabwe, wherein 11 beneficiaries were registered, as equal shareholders, including myself.

“Before the demise of the late K. M. Kangai in 2013, I already possessed a 50 percent shareholding in the above-mentioned company and this was further recorded and accepted by the Master of the High Court.”

In 2020, Justice Jacob Manzunzu quashed attempts by Hativagone to strip Mrs Kangai of her 50 percent shareholding in Luna Estates after finding out her application had no merits.

Mrs Kangai claims that Hativagone and Maroveke fraudulently claimed Cde Kangai’s pension lump sum and other benefits, which she was entitled to, as the surviving spouse.

The matter is still being investigated by the police.

Hativagone and Maroveke’s mother, Esther Chitando, separated from Cde Kangai in 1964.

“They went to misrepresent to various offices within the Government that their mother, Esther Chitando, was the surviving spouse of the late K. M. Kangai’s Estate and went on to claim and receive more than US$100 000 under false pretences,” said Mrs Kangai.

“They further continue to receive monthly instalments of the late K. M. Kangai pension.”

Mrs Kangai said the other siblings - Tinayo Nyika Kangai, Ngwarirai Kangai, Freedom Kangai, Muchatenda Kangai, Musadaro Kangai, Manyika Kangai, Rwatinyanya Kangai, Fungai Kangai and Tiriwamambo Kangai - distanced themselves from Maroveke and Hativagone’s “criminal actions”.