By Chantelle Muzanenhamo
A 47-year-old man named Tonderai Gabriel Mugabe has come forward claiming to be the secret son of late former President Robert Mugabe. Tonderai has approached the High Court, demanding a share of Mugabe’s estate, which he argues is rightfully his.
Tonderai asserts that Mugabe had a relationship with his late mother, Hilda Maeka, and believes that he is the product of this union.
According to him, the couple went their separate ways after the bombing of Chimoio during the liberation struggle, with Mugabe mistakenly believing that Maeka had died.
Despite this, Tonderai alleges that they met again in Zimbabwe after independence and maintained communication.
In court documents, seen by local media, Tonderai seeks to reopen the late president’s estate and is requesting Robert Mugabe’s death certificate to aid in obtaining a legal birth certificate that recognizes Mugabe as his father.
“Unfortunately, my mother passed on before that disclosure could be made public,” Tonderai submitted.
He claims that Mugabe’s reluctance to acknowledge him was influenced by the political complexities of the time, particularly as Mugabe was married.
Despite limited public acknowledgment, Tonderai insists he had some contact with Mugabe’s family, citing his late father’s sibling, Aunt Laurencia Machemedze Mugabe, who reportedly affirmed his relationship with the late president in an affidavit.
Tonderai claims he underwent DNA testing at the request of the registrar of births and deaths, which purportedly indicated a 99.997% probability of kinship with Mugabe’s bloodline.
However, despite these claims, he states that the registrar refused to issue him a birth certificate based on this evidence.
The public reaction in Zimbabwe has been largely skeptical, with many taking to social media to question Tonderai’s claims.
Critics have pointed out the lack of resemblance between him and the former president or his children, even suggesting he undergo a paternity test before pursuing any claims to the estate.
“He should have spoken out while Mugabe was still alive; it feels opportunistic now,” one user commented.
This is not the first instance of a controversial heirship claim in Zimbabwe. Recently, another man claimed to be the son of the late musical icon Oliver Mtukudzi, only to later vanish from public attention. The resurgence of such claims raises questions about the motivations behind them and the complexities surrounding inherited legacies.
As the court case unfolds, Tonderai Gabriel Mugabe’s assertion continues to spark debates about heritage, legitimacy, and the enigmatic past of one of Zimbabwe’s most significant figures, leaving many to wonder what legacy Mugabe truly leaves behind.