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The Member of the House of Assembly for Chirumanzu-Zibagwe constituency, Prosper Machando, was dragged to the Civil Court by his estranged mistress over maintenance.
Machando shocked the court when he offered to pay monthly maintenance of $50, for the upkeep of his four-year-old child whom he sired with Clara Taruberekera.
Tarubereka was claiming a monthly maintenance fee of $800, with $500 being spousal maintenance while $300 was for the child.
Chivhu magistrate Miss Rufaro Panavanhu who presided over the matter ordered Machando to pay a monthly maintenance fee of $296 monthly, saying $50 was too little.
“$50 that you’re offering is too little for the upkeep of your child considering your status in society. A person of your calibre is expected to be responsible. You must at all costs take care of your child as it is no one’s responsibility but yours. You are therefore ordered to pay the applicant a total of $296 every month. Out of that amount, $100 will be for the child while $196 will be for bills like food and rent,” she said.
Taruberekera, who claimed to be customarily married to Machando, said the two once lived together in Mvuma before Machando left her some months ago for another woman. She said since then, Machando had not given her money for the upkeep of their child.
Machando, however, denied the claims, saying he was never at any time married to Taruberekera. He said he only paid damages to Taruberekera’s family after she fell pregnant.
derick.khumalo