The seizure of cattle from struggling parents in Gokwe over unpaid school fees has triggered widespread anger, with villagers accusing local authorities of using harsh and humiliating methods to recover debts.
Communities under Chief Misheck Njelele say economic hardship has pushed many families to the brink, yet schools have allegedly resorted to extreme measures, including confiscating livestock, to force parents to pay outstanding fees.
Tensions escalated after an audio recording circulated on social media, in which villagers accused aides linked to the chief of intimidating parents and forcibly taking cattle. In the recording, some parents claimed they were summoned to Chief Njelele’s court, handcuffed and stripped of their livestock without proper legal procedures.
“The debt collection method is harsh. They take cattle without authority. Is this professional?” one woman said in the audio, adding that parents were suffering in silence. Another villager described the collectors as physically intimidating and said challenging them was impossible.
Several parents said cattle, often their only valuable asset, were taken and handed over to the chief. Others alleged that the animals were later sold to middlemen, raising fears of abuse of power and lack of accountability.
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“We are forced to pay US$75 per child who owes fees to the chief. Is this the rule of law?” one voice asked in the recording, arguing that most parents were not refusing to pay but were simply overwhelmed by poverty and large family responsibilities.
The villagers appealed for intervention, saying the methods being used were cruel and degrading, especially in a community already battling unemployment, food insecurity and limited income sources.
In response, Chief Njelele defended his actions, saying he was acting to protect schools that are owed large sums of money. He cited Mapfumo Primary School, which he said is owed more than US$65 000 in unpaid fees.
However, parents argue that while schools need funding, the approach being used is inhumane.
“Taking cattle from poor families is not the solution. It destroys livelihoods and deepens poverty,” one villager said.
Chief Njelele denied allegations of abuse, intimidation or personal benefit, saying the claims were exaggerated. He insisted that no cattle were sold illegally and that most parents eventually paid in cash to recover their animals.
Police in Midlands province said they had not received any formal complaints regarding the alleged incidents but promised investigations if reports were made.
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