Girlfriend humiliates councillor

Samuel Kadungure
A RUSAPE councillor recently approached the civil court seeking protection against his militant girlfriend who beats and embarrasses him in public.
However, the combative girlfriend hit back insisting that he tasted his own medicine for infecting her with HIV.
Makoni Rural District Council Councillor for Ward 19, Steven Chikono Makoni’s quest for a peace order ended up with his mistress, Angeline Kwenda, taking a dig at his health.

Clr Chikono Makoni had to plead to the presiding Rusape magistrate, Ms Patience Ururu-Madondo, to gag Angeline from raising issues to do with his health.

Clr Chikono Makoni said Angeline was a highly temperamental woman and lacks respect for him.
He argued that she beats him up at public meetings and church. He said she was in the habit of vandalising his household property.

He said while she was his long time concubine, he was forced to end the relationship as a result of her barbaric behaviour.
He said she was refusing to accept his stance by constantly popping up at his homestead.

“I told her that I was now a councillor and wanted to settle down as demanded by my new job and status in the community. She refused to be married, insisting that she wants to remain a visiting concubine.

“I told her openly that I wanted a decent wife who will look after my homestead, keeping it clean and receiving visitors, but she refused to move in officially. She reacted by beating me up, insulting and embarrassing me in public. One day she assaulted me when I was naked. It is unbearable. She also assaulted me at St Luke’s Church and I cannot take the humiliation any more. It is better to live alone than to share a bed with such a vicious creature,” said Clr Chikono Makoni.

“Her actions are demeaning my status as a ward councillor. I am no longer free to discharge my duties. I have become a prisoner of love. I want this woman out of my life. My freedom is far more important than this woman. I want to reiterate it in this court that yes, she was my girlfriend, but I no longer love her. She is a beast. She is disrespectful and abusive, I have suffered enough,” said Clr Chikono, unaware of what Angeline had in store for him during cross-examination.

When given a chance to cross-examine him, the woman took aim at him straight away.
“This man is a sworn liar and there is no reason for this court to believe him. We started dating in 2003. For 14 years we have been living like a husband and wife.

“During my stay with him he never disclosed to me that he was taking some ARVs. Did you tell me kuti uri pachirongwa (Antiretroviral therapy)? I realised it when it was too late,” argued Angeline.

Clr Chikono Makoni responded in denial: “I do not know what she is saying. No, I did not, I never took ARVs”.
The woman hit back at him again.

“Imi baba imi, are you not taking ARVs? Can you tell this court why you have them at home? Munoadii? Munoanwirei?” asked Kwenda.
Clr Chikono Makoni became evasive, pleading with Ms Ururu-Madondo to gag the respondent from raising issues pertaining to his health.

“Your Worship, I brought before you an application for peace and protection order and I feel the proceedings must be limited to issues pertaining to my assault not about ARVs.

“She assaults me at home hence my request for protection order. We cannot discuss issues dzemapiritsi,” said Clr Chikono.
Ms Ururu-Madondo interjected, asking him whether or not he was willing to respond to issues being raised by his girlfriend.

“Do you want to respond or not? The question is pertinent because it allows the court to get to the bottom of the assault.
“It interests the court to know the issues behind the assault. There could be underlying issues to the assault,” warned Ms Ururi-Madondo.
Kwenda added that Clr Chikono Makoni owes her his life.

“This man has been using me. If it were not of my good heart he must be dead by now. I did everything for him when he was bed-ridden. He was a helpless case; he could not do anything by himself.

“All he could do was mess himself and I was responsible for cleaning the mess, cooking, bathing and washing laundry for him.
“I stood by him and now that has fully recovered, he wants to treat me like a rag,” said Angeline.

Clr Chikono Makoni denied ever staying with her.
“She is my married girlfriend. She has her own homestead from where she visits me and return. We never stayed together. I want her stopped from visiting me,” said Clr Chikono.

She disputed his version, arguing that she has been a widow since 1980 and started dating him in 2003.
“He has been my husband since 2003. Chake chivindi chei kunyenga mukadzi wemunhu? I stood by this man through thick and thin. He even promised a new life after winning the 2013 council elections.

“I helped him to campaign and he won and I am being paid back by being dumped so as to create space for his small house at St Faith’s. He now insults me achiti uri mutete ndinoda mudzimai anozadza mubhedha.

“That is the reason he is chasing me away from home. He locks me out of the house just to frustrate me,” said Angeline.