Online Reporter
Lovemore Kadzura
Weekender Reporter
IN a landmark ruling, Chief Makoni has awarded a maternal grandmother the bride price for her granddaughter, whom she raised single-handedly from infancy to tertiary education, citing that she is the most eligible person to benefit from her labour.
The ruling stems from a case involving Mbuya Mavis Mapfumbidze and Promise Mazvimba, whom she had dragged to the community court for impregnating her granddaughter, Glenda, without paying the bride price. Mapfumbidze told the court that Mazvimba and his relatives had refused to acknowledge Glenda as part of their family, citing lack of discussion on the pregnancy issue, and instead took them to Christmas Pass Mountain in Mutare, claiming that Promise did not have a house of his own.
Mapfumbidze further alleged that Promise had a history of assaulting Glenda. Chief Makoni ruled in her favour, saying as the granny, who had shouldered the responsibility of raising Glenda, she was entitled to receive the bride price.
“I raised Glenda alone until she completed secondary education. I went on to fund her tertiary education, where she studied in Mutare. This is where she met Promise. When she fell pregnant, we informed Promise that we were coming with his wife. Instead of taking us to his home, Prosper took us to Christmas Pass Mountain. Promise was accompanied by his mother, aunts, and other relatives.
They argued that Promise does not have a house, so his issues must be heard in the bush.
“Promise did not deny impregnating Glenda. However, he said she should go and stay with his mother in Tsanzaguru. As Glenda was finishing her course, Promise went to Botswana. We surrendered Glenda to Promise’s mother, and she gave birth there.
“We started receiving complaints from Glenda that she was being abused by Promise and his mother. Promise has a habit of assaulting her, including uprooting her hair. Promise’s brother later called me, advising that I should come and collect Glenda while she is still alive. This prompted me to bring this case to this court. I think if he pays bride price for her, he will value and appreciate her,” said Mbuya Mapfumbidze. Promise’s mother, Irene Mazvimba, stood in her son’s corner, claiming that Glenda was never assaulted, and Promise returned home when Glenda wanted to scald him with hot water.
“I accepted Glenda wholeheartedly as my daughter-in-law. Their issues only started in the bedroom, which made it difficult for me to interfere. I never witnessed them fighting, maybe they fought in my absence, as I regularly visit Mutare. It was my advice that they find somewhere to stay away from me. I was surprised to see Promise returning home.
“He said he had run away from Glenda, who wanted to pour hot water on him. Glenda never reported to me about her challenges, but she would report to her grandmother. She had a habit of disappearing from home during the night when she became angry,” said Mbuya Mazvimba.
Asked by the court if he loved Glenda, Promise claimed that he still loved her, but she is a problematic wife.
Glenda narrated in court how she and her child were allegedly abused by Promise through physical and verbal assault. She also claimed that she was being deprived of enough food so that she would get frustrated and leave.
“Promise and his family never accepted me from the beginning. They always said I should vacate their house and leave the child. I once accessed his phone and discovered that he was sleeping with seven girls. I confronted him over the issue, and he assaulted me.
“I would run away from the house to save myself from further beatings. Sometimes I would use our child as a shield, thinking that he would stop, but he would also assault the child. The child was once injured.
“When we moved out of his parents’ house, he told his mother that he would return soon, as he loved her so much. He also told me that he would dump me alone at our lodgings.
“He always came home very late, and would not eat the food I had prepared, saying he ate at his mother’s house. One day, he was so vicious with his assault, and I had to rush to the military camp seeking protection.
“I reported the matter to the police, but he begged me to drop the charges. He has his own laundry basket and does not allow me to wash his clothes. He told me that if I was frustrated, I should go and leave the child behind.
“He later packed his things and went back to his mother. He used to send his nephews with very little food for the child after I went to his mother’s home demanding food,” Glenda told the court.
Chief Makoni ruled that Promise pays damages of three beasts, three goats for masungiro, and to meet Mbuya Mapfumbidze’s US$60 cost of the lawsuit. He also said it was clear that Promise and his family do not want Glenda.
“We cannot force people to love each other. If Promise is genuine that he loves Glenda, then he should pay the bride price.
“Right now, he is abusing her because there is no value placed on her. That value is bride price. Mbuya Mapfumbidze has the right to claim Glenda’s bride price. She is the one who raised her from childhood,” ruled Chief Makoni.
