Milnsbridge dad Tonderayi Murombe trapped in Zimbabwe in red tape row
Nov 8 2010 Huddersfield Daily Examiner
Joan Stephenson with Jack and William Murombe
TWO Huddersfield youngsters are pining for their dad – stranded thousands of miles away in a red-tape row.
Jack and William Murombe are living with their mum Joan Stephenson in Milnsbridge and cannot understand why their dad cannot be with them.
But Tonderayi Murombe, who has lived in the UK since 1984, is stranded 5,256 miles away – after flying back to his native Zimbabwe for a funeral 12 months ago.
Immigration officials in Holland stopped him from continuing his return journey to Britain after the funeral in January and flew him back to South Africa and then in to Zimbabwe.
Now he is staying with relatives and friends in Harare in Zimbabwe and still waiting for South African officials to okay his return.
The row centres on a change of passport and a former conviction, which was quashed on appeal.
But there could be hope.
The case has been taken up by Colne Valley MP Jason McCartney and he said last night: “We hope we are close to a resolution.”
Mr Murombe, 44, who is known as Vincent, came to Britain in 1984 and was granted permission to stay. He has been living in Milnsbridge with his partner of 10 years, Joan, along with their children, five-year-old Jack and three-year-old William, and his 19-year-old son from a previous marriage, Warren, who is a student in Manchester.
Mr Murombe had been working as a manager with Subway in Leeds.
