Man offers $15 for 3 children

Blessing Rwizi
A NYAZURA man is seeking maintenance downward variation claiming that his employer is not paying them on time. Tongai Mavhenge pleaded with Mutare magistrate, Mr Poterai Gwezhira, to have the amount he is paying as maintenance for his three children to be reduced from $25 to $15. Mavhenge sired the children with Rosemary Kamuraza.

He told the court that he could not afford $25 anymore since his employer was not paying his workers.
“We haven’t been getting our salaries for a couple of months now. I don’t have any other source of getting the money,” he said.
He also told the court that he was paying maintenance for another 11-year-old daughter he fathered with another woman.

“I can afford only $15 for the three children since I am also paying maintenance for the fourth one that I sired with another woman,” said Mavhenge.
Mr Gwezhira told Mavhenge that fathering children was a sign of being responsible.

“Being jobless doesn’t save anyone from taking care of his children,” said Gwezhira.
In his ruling, Mr Gwezhira dismissed Mavhenge’s application and ordered him to continue paying the $25.
He also urged him to work extra harder and take care of his children.

In an unrelated case, Tapiwa Gotora, a security guard was last week dragged to court by his wife Shylet Mutore, who was asking for $110 maintenance for the upkeep of their nine-month-old baby.
The couple also appeared before Mr Gwezhira.

Mutore told the court that for the last six months Gotora has not been contributing anything towards their child.
“We stay together, but I don’t even know how he spends the $220 that he earns as his monthly salary,” said Mutore.

She further explained: “The $130 that I am earning is not enough to pay for our housemaid, rentals, food, medication and clothes for the baby.”
Gotora offered $20 for food, medication and clothing.

He told the court that he was also paying her younger sister’s school fees and buying medication for his aged mother.
Asked to explain why he was not contributing anything all along, Gotora: “Your Worship, I thought what she was earning would be enough for herself and the baby.”
Mr Gwezhira dismissed Mutore’s plea and ruled that Gotora should pay $70.