Mugabe is said to have believed that Tonderai and his alleged mother, Hilda Maeka, had perished in the Chimoio camp bombing.

Maeka, who died on September 29, 1995, was posthumously declared a liberation war hero by Mugabe on July 18, 2016.

The sources added that Mugabe’s younger brother, Chief Johannes Karigamombe Mugabe, was present when Tonderai was introduced to the family in Kutama. Chief Karigamombe confirmed this when contacted for comment by The Standard. He said:

I know him from his visits here, but there is nothing done traditionally on welcoming him.

There are many children who later come saying they are Mugabe’s children but some are doing it so that they know their family line and some are for material things.

Chief Karigamombe Mugabe revealed that Bona Mugabe, the executor of Mugabe’s estate, had not informed the entire family about the execution of the property.

Kaitano Mutandwa Mugabe, the son of Mugabe’s younger brother Donato, filed an affidavit acknowledging Tonderai Robert Mugabe as part of the family.

Kaitano’s affidavit, seen by The Standard confirmed that he was present when Tonderai was introduced to the family by Mugabe’s late sister, Bridget.

He said he witnessed the ceremony where Tonderai was accepted by the family. The affidavit reads:

In my capacity as the eldest son in the family, I have accepted and (taken) my younger brother Tonderai Gabriel Mugabe aboard.

Information that Tonderai is the son of Robert Mugabe came into our ears a long time before Tete Bridget, who is the last born of Ambuya Bona, passed on.

Tete Bridget is the one who introduced Tonderai to his late father at the State House.

I also witnessed this as the father of the family since all parents passed on.

I have taken all the responsibilities and he has already moved into the family.

In her affidavit, Bridget’s daughter Laurencia also confirmed Tonderai as Mugabe’s son. She said:

We separated when the mother took the child to Cde Fay Chung after the war. We thought he and his mother had died because we could not find him. Later on, he was found by my mother Bridget Mugabe. He is the son of Robert Mugabe.

Tonderai has approached the High Court, seeking a share of Robert Mugabe’s estate. DNA evidence has confirmed that he is a member of Mugabe’s clan. His application is set to be heard this week.

In his filing, Tonderai alleges that Bona has been trying to prevent him from benefiting from the estate. He has named Bona, the Registrar of Births and Deaths, and the Master of the High Court as the first to third respondent in the case.

Tonderai is requesting a declaration for the re-opening of Mugabe’s estate to formally include him as a beneficiary.

More: Pindula News