admin Rutendo Karuva
THE economy has hit hard a member of an Apostolic sect with 11 children and now he cannot take care of them.
Francis Muruwira (40) has failed to provide for his children to an extent that his second wife Orippa Shonhiwa (28) dragged him to court for the maintenance of their four children.
In his defence, Muruwira told the court that he was doing his best but the children were too many.
a�?I try to take care of my kids but ita��s just that the kids are too many. I have so many debts as a result of too many kids, I cana��t even pay for their fees at school and I once approached BEAM to assist me to no avail,a�? he said.
He is also yet to pay maternity fees for some of them born a few years ago.
a�?Even at the hospital I owe them a lot of money. I am failing to pay the maternity bills, a�?Muruwira said.
When Shonhiwa decided to take her husband to court it was after he had introduced cost cutting measures in the house that meant she had to cook together with the first wife and also share groceries.
She felt she was being treated like a child.
a�?I am his wife just like her, why would I agree to be treated like a child to an extent that I cannot cook for my own children?,a�? said Shonhiwa in court.
Bulawayo magistrate Sheunesu Matova, ordered Muruwira to pay $80 every month for the upkeep of his four children and to continue paying fees.
a�?You must pay $20 for each child making it $80 per month and if you want peace in your home, I advise you let your wives cook separately as the current setup has failed to work,a�? said Matova. .
Bongani Ndlovu