The ManicaPost
Tanyaradzwa Mujati
Weekender Reporter
A MUTARE man teamed up with his wife to apply for a protection order to avoid the extra responsibility of looking after his second wife and her children.
Erik Guhu and Irene Matema appeared before Mutare magistrate, Mr Xavier Chipato, applying for two separate protection orders against the second wife, Junior Mudzete.
Mr Chipato granted the protection order which prohibited Mudzete from visiting the complainants’ house to disturb their peace.
The protection order is valid for three years.
Mudzete said she went to her husband’s house to ask for money for the upkeep of their three children.
She said she also wanted him to assist in looking for an apartment for them to stay in.
“I know I wasn’t supposed to visit their house, but what could I have done in such circumstances? She blocked me from our husband’s phone and I am suffering in the village alone without a husband. I had to see him so that we could talk as husband and wife as he also paid for my bride price. He is still my husband because he is still to give me a divorce token.”
Mudzete said Guhu has been constantly calling his parents instructing them to chase her away from their homestead where she is currently staying.
“He calls his parents instructing them to send me packing from their homestead, saying that if anything happens to me they will be accountable. He stopped paying for my rentals and I used to stay in Hobhouse. Where will I go? I do not have anyone to turn to for assistance as I am not employed.
“I tried to look for a portion of land to build my own home from the village head, but my in-laws stopped him from allocating me land. They argued that their son should get the land instead of me. He has abandoned his family and I am now stranded,” she said.
Mudzete also said she had initially taken her children to her mother’s home, but she asked her to take them to their biological father.
“My parents are now insisting that I take the children to their father. Where will I take them when I do not even have a roof over my head? I think our husband was given a love portion —(which is) the reason why he despises me so much,” she said.
Mudzete said when she visited her husband’s house, she was assaulted by Guhu and Matema, claiming that she was a commercial sex worker, out to wreck their marriage.
She said Guhu was giving her $50 000 as maintenance which is not enough to feed, send the children to school and pay for rentals.
In response, the couple said they did not want Mudzete to visit their house.
“I do not want her to visit my house because she is disturbing my wife’s peace. She comes to my place to harass her and our marriage has been unpalatable ever since,” said Guhu.
Matema said: “I do not want her at my house. If she wants to talk to my husband, they should meet at the police station, not at my house.”
Guhu said he no longer loves Mudzete and is making the necessary arrangements to officially divorce her.
“I do not have money, otherwise I would have taken her back to her parents’ home a long time ago. I need money to invite our go-between (sadombo) and other people so that I can formally divorce her,” said Guhu.
Matema also said Mudzete came to her house on December 7 and sat by the gate early in the morning, saying she had come to see her husband.
“She came very early in the morning and sat outside the gate. I told her to leave and she threw a stone at me. I do not want her or her kids at my house. If they come to my place, I will commit suicide,” said Matema.
