The ManicaPost
Tendai Gukutikwa
Weekender Correspondent
A SAKUBVA man recently begged the courts to exempt him from paying maintenance for his four children as he claimed that the Covid-19 induced lockdown had left him poor.
Tawanda Mangwanda had been dragged to the Mutare magistrates’ civil courts by his disgruntled wife, Elizabeth Chirare, who accused him of neglecting the needs of his family.
The couple appeared before Mutare magistrate Ms Purity Gumbo.
Ms Gumbo disregarded the pleas and ordered Mangwanda to pull up his socks so that he can look after his children.
Chirare had applied for $50 000 as maintenance for the four children and herself, stating that the cost of living has gone up.
“He has been giving me $2 000 since 2020 but it is no longer enough. All the children are in school and in need of school fees, uniforms and food. They also need a roof over their head so we need rentals and electricity bills. Your Worship, no one can survive on the $2000 he has been giving me. My youngest child’s school fees alone is $10 000,” said Chirare.
However, Mangwanda had no kind words for his wife as he claimed that she wanted to lead a luxurious life that he could not afford.
He stated that on various occasions he had advised his wife to transfer their children to cheaper schools which they could afford.
“Your Worship, I was laid off during the first lockdown in January 2020 and I have been surviving on piece jobs ever since then. I am actually not able to add to the amount that I have been giving her as I do not have it.
“I am a poor man and it is unheard of for a poor man to send his children to private schools. I have told her that we should transfer the children to cheaper schools but she insists that the children are better off at that expensive school,” he said.
In passing her sentence, Ms Gumbo advised Chirare that she was not entitled to receive spousal maintenance from Mangwanda as they were not legally married.
However, she ordered Mangwanda to pay a monthly amount of $15 000 towards the upkeep of his children.
“An amount of $2 000 is no longer enough and you will not be exempted from taking care of your children. You need to work hard and look for more piece jobs so that your children have food on the table and go to school.
‘‘Look for schools whose fees are within your means, but remember that your children are your top priority. If you default, you will be arrested,” said Ms Gumbo.
