The ManicaPost
Tendai Gukutikwa
Weekender Correspondent
A fight over bread has turned two Hobhouse, Mutare, tenants into sworn enemies.
So hostile is the relationship between Emma Chikepe and Patricia Chinanga that fighting has become the order of the day.
The bone of contention between the tenants is market share in their bread selling business.
Chikepe has since approached the Mutare Civil Court seeking a protection order against Chinanga.
Chinanga’s 14-year-old son has reportedly joined his mother in giving Chikepe thorough hidings as they fight over customers whenever bread is delivered.
“She and her son are in the habit of assaulting and biting me all over the body. At one time I tried retaliating and bit her son on the back, but he seemed to feel nothing at all. That is when they went and reported me to the police, yet they were the aggressors. I never reported the matter to the police,” she said.
Chikepe said she operates a tuck-shop, while Chinanga has a vending stall at the same house.
“I operate a tuck-shop, while she operates a vending stall. We are both tenants at the same house. When the delivery truck comes to deliver bread to my tuck-shop, it normally parks in front of my shop, but on one occasion when I came out, it had parked in front of her stall. I asked the delivery guys why they had done so and Chinanga hurled insults at me saying I cannot tell people how to do their jobs,” said Chikepe.
She said when the truck drove off, Chinanga and her son attacked her.
She claimed that mother and son duo had even taken their vengeance to her five-year-old son whom they assault daily.
“To think that someone could bite you all over the body because of bread is just unthinkable, but it happened to me. Ever since, the truck has been parking in front of her stall and it disadvantages me as I also need to collect bread from there,” explained Chikepe.
She further told the court that she is now living in fear as Chinanga and her son have threatened to burn down her tuck-shop with her inside.
She also alleged that Chinanga has threatened to set thieves on her.
However, Chinanga denied all the allegations and apportioned the blame on Chikepe.
She confirmed fighting with her neighbour over how the bread was being delivered, but said Chikepe attacked her first.
“When she came out of her lodgings, she said that the truck should not park in front of a stall even though we both sell bread. I told her that she could not instruct people on how to do their job. In fact, she is the one who threatened to burn down my family’s wooden cabin. I heard her and her uncle plotting how to execute the arson.
“There is nothing special about operating a tuck-shop. We are all trying to earn a living and the delivery truck should park wherever there is space. She is violent. My son’s back is littered with her teeth marks as if she is a vampire. An assault case we lodged against her is still pending at the Mutare Magistrates’ Court,” Chinanga defended herself.
Presiding magistrate, Mr Xavier Chipato issued a binding over protection order to the feuding parties.
“It is clear that there is bad blood between the three of you, so I cannot grant an order that protects only one party. This binding over protection order bars either of you from insulting, assaulting, harassing and biting each other,” ruled Mr Chipato.
