MUTINTA MULAYE writes
THE Boma Local Court in Lusaka has restrained five brothers from interfering with their father’s decisions over his property and told to leave him alone.
This was a case in which Monday Sikazwe, a 67 year old farmer of Kabanana sued his sons, Douglas, 42, Dickson, 39, Teza, 37, Allan, 35, and Solomon, 22, for a restraining order to be filed against them.
Monday told Senior Presiding Magistrate Sharon Sichone that he had a challenge with agro farming inputs due to drought and decided to start animal farming such as rearing chickens, goats and pigs.
“I have a small land in Kabanana and I decided to sell a small part of it to help me start the business. I called my children and told them what I intended to do but they refused. I told them I was going to sell part of the land whether they agreed or not,” Mr Sikazwe said.
He said after finding a buyer for the land his oldest son told him that he (Mr Sikazwe) had changed his mind about selling it.
“My daughter is the one that told me what happened. I called for my son and talked to him and we agreed that I would sell the land,
“ Later the buyer came back and I was informed but when I went in the house, Allan started insulting me and undressed me in the presence of the pastor and the church committee,” Mr Sikazwe said.
He told the court that he wanted his children to vacate his house because they were controlling him over his land, adding that they were also disrespectful and had insulted him each time they got drunk.
“They fight when they are drunk even almost killing each other, they stole my door frames and windows and they sold my chickens and rabbits. The situation is quite tense, I want them to leave because they can kill me,” he said.
Douglas then told the court that him and his brothers lived at the same house on their father’s land.
“Our father divorced our mother 5 to 6 years ago and later re married and went to live with our step mum at the farm. We decided mum should come back because she was suffering where she was,” Douglas said.
He said they lived happily until they saw clients kept going there to see the place and when they called their father they had a meeting where he confirmed that he wanted to sell it and develop the farm where he was staying.
“We told him we were ready to put a bole hole and a wire fence for him but he refused. We agreed as children that we would help him. We told him it was unfair for him to make such a decision and agreed to be chasing the clients. Later we received the summons that he wanted us to leave because we were disturbing his peace,” he said.
The court found that Mr Monday Sikazwe had a claim of right on his property and all his 5 sons were restrained from interfering with his decisions over his property.
