Harare – Batsirai Matiza, son of the late Minister Joel Biggie Matiza, is facing accusations of attempting to seize control of a US$1 million agro-forestry project from the Green Rebirth Trust, an organisation that had previously appointed him as an ambassador.
The Green Rebirth Trust, through its trustees represented by Nadia Vingai Mabvirakure, has filed an urgent High Court application seeking an interdict against Batsirai, Tichabaiwa Gwadu, and Familia Muvhunwa. The trust alleges an impending violation of their right to utilise and benefit from their tree nursery project located at Chemapango Secondary School in the Murewa district.
In the application for a spoliatory and interdictory order, the trust is seeking legal recourse to protect its investment and continue its operations at the Chemapango site.
According to court documents, the Green Rebirth Jiri raMambo agro-forestry project was established near the end of February 2022 by Mabvirakure and five other trust members. The project’s core mission is to promote sustainable development and climate change mitigation through agro-forestry initiatives.
The trust was officially registered on October 11, 2023, with a broader mandate to restore the environment, create employment opportunities, raise awareness about environmental preservation, and promote biodiversity and wildlife management.
To achieve its objectives, the Green Rebirth Trust embarked on a strategy to secure funding, forge strategic partnerships, and establish operational infrastructure in rural areas. These efforts led to the establishment of a significant tree nursery at Chemapango Secondary School in the Murewa district.
In August of last year, Batsirai Matiza reportedly offered a donation to the trust, citing his alignment with their mission and the potential for the partnership to enhance his public image. The Green Rebirth Trust, in line with its policy of welcoming philanthropic support from various sources, accepted Batsirai’s contribution.
By this time, the trust’s nursery stock, approximately seven months old, had matured sufficiently to be sold, generating income to further the organisation’s objectives. The project as a whole represents a substantial investment, with an estimated valuation of US$1 million.
The trust alleges that on February 27th of this year, Gwadu and Muvhunwa, acting under Batsirai’s instruction, went to Chemapango Secondary School and seized control of the project, effectively depriving the Green Rebirth Trust of its operations.
In a letter addressed to the school headmaster on the same day, Gwadu and Muvhunwa claimed to be members of a “Matiza Trust” which, they asserted, had been Green Rebirth Trust’s partner in the project.
Batsirai, Gwadu, and Muvhunwa further alleged that they had been the project’s sole funders, that they had severed ties with Green Rebirth Trust, and that they had taken over the project entirely.
The Green Rebirth Trust vehemently denies these claims, asserting that they are not only false but also fraudulent. The trust maintains that Batsirai was merely a donor, one of many who have provided financial support to the project.
The trust further contends that at no point has it partnered with a “Matiza Trust” as alleged, and it doubts the existence of such an entity.
Mabvirakure stated in her affidavit to the court: “Apart from making monetary donations like applicant’s many other donors, respondents have not been involved in any capacity in the operations of the project. Contrary to the respondents’ claim, the applicant has benefited from a diverse range of financial supporters.”
The trust also emphasises that Batsirai, who began contributing to the project’s funding stream only seven months ago, is simply one of many contributors.
Mabvirakure asserts that neither she nor any of her co-trustees has been involved in any fraudulent activity. She said that the respondents’ unlawful behaviour forced them to approach the High Court for relief.
Mabvirakure further submitted that the trust has been working diligently to grow and is actively attempting to sell its nursery stock without Batsirai Trust’s participation.
“This nursery stock once sold cannot be recovered and the true value of applicant’s loss will be difficult to quantify accurately. If this honourable court does not intervene and halt Batsirai’s unlawful conduct urgently, there exists a real risk that the nursery stock will be sold to the applicant’s detriment,” she said.
