‘I have 8 minor children, Your Worship’

Tendai Gukutikwa
“IF the court orders a father to pay school fees for his child on or before schools open, this should be respected,” ruled Mutare magistrate, Mrs Sharon Chipanga. Mrs Chipanga made the ruling while presiding over a maintenance dispute between Tapiwa Gubegube and Whatmore Nyahuda last Tuesday. A court order was granted in September last year which ordered Nyahuda to pay his child’s school fees or on before the first day of school opening.

Nyahuda, a cross-border trader who is in school fees arrears of his child with Gubegube claimed that he always pays his child’s fees during the first week after schools open.
“It is wrong. The order says the fees should be paid on or before the first day of the term. Madam, when you get an order, it is up to you to enforce it and ensure that he is complying. If he is not, then come back here. The earlier the better and I will issue a warrant of arrest,” Mrs Chipanga told the pair.

Nyahuda told the court that he had seven other minor children from different wives and that was the reason he was having problems paying the fees, a defence which the court dismissed.

“You chose to have eight children. You should not complain because it was your choice. You have no-one to blame. You have to contribute towards the upkeep of those children,” said Mrs Chipanga.

To add more woes to Nyahuda, another woman approached the courts claiming for maintenance from him.
Barbra Kan’anga wanted $80 for the upkeep of her nine-year-old child, but was granted $30 by the court since Nyahuda had produced evidence that he earns $200 and was taking care of his seven other children.