Online Reporter
Spiwe Sarakunze
Herald Reporter
A Harare woman has been granted a protection order against her alcoholic and abusive son, who has been tormenting her in her own house.
Ms Rosemary Gunda (66) told the court that her son, Tatenda Gunda (38), had turned into a monster who regularly insults, threatens, and harasses her, accusing her of practicing witchcraft.
Appearing before the Harare Civil Court magistrate, Mr Ashton Dube, Ms Gunda told the court that her son completely depends on her for survival but shows no respect or gratitude.
“I buy him everything including clothes. If I were a bad mother, I would not take care of him since he is old enough to live on his own,” she said.
“He accused me of being the reason behind his suffering. It hurts me, and I want to be protected by the law.”
She narrated how her son threatens her, causing her to live in constant fear because of his violent tendencies.
“My son drinks excessively, and whenever he gets drunk, he becomes aggressive. He insults me using vulgar language without shame.
“He says I am the reason why his life is not progressing, yet I am the one who provides for him. I am tired of taking care of a 38-year-old man,” said Ms Gunda.
She told the court that Tatenda has no stable job and refuses to look for employment. Instead, he constantly relies on her to the extent that he even wants her to buy undergarments for him.
“He has made it his habit to wake me up in the middle of the night when he returns home,” she said.
“He starts shouting and accusing me of bewitching him so that he stays poor and unable to have a stable marriage.”
“I cannot even have peace in my own house. I am old, and I thought my son would take care of me at this stage in my life, but instead, I am the one taking care of him,” she said.
“He doesn’t want to work or build a family of his own. All he wants is to drink, and when there is no money, he turns his anger on me.”
Ms Gunda said she felt she was no longer safe to live in her own house.
“I am afraid that one day he might harm me because when he is drunk, he loses control completely. I want this court to protect me before it’s too late,” she pleaded.
In response, Tatenda admitted he drinks but denied harassing his mother.
“I drink, yes, but I have never harassed my mother. She hates me and wants me out of the house because she believes I am a failure,” he said.
“She is the one who is always accusing me of being useless. Sometimes I just get angry because she provokes me.”
Tatenda said his mother was aware of the curse he got from her brother who is a traditional healer.
He said when he wants to speak out about the matter, his mother becomes angry and starts insulting him.
Tatenda said he and his sisters have no children and when he pleads with his mother for help, she claims he is accusing her of witchcraft.
“I am 38 years old, and I still have nothing to show for it. I don’t have a family. I believe there is a spiritual force behind this,” he said.
After listening to both parties, the magistrate, Mr Dube, advised the two to respect each other and granted the protection order Ms Gunda was praying for. Mr Dube barred Tatenda from insulting and harassing his mother. He also ordered him to seek counselling services and find ways to be independent rather than depending on his mother.
