Munamba shames church leaders

Mercy Ngwebvu and Answer Sithole
The diabolic incident of a jilted Botswana-based reverend who emptied five litres of the deadly sulphuric acid on his estranged lover has been widely condemned by church leaders who called for the perpetrator to face the full wrath of the law. A mechanic by profession, Reverend Robson Munamba who is in his 50s, of the Full Gospel of Christ church; poured sulphuric acid on his alienated girlfriend Rudo Bakasa (38), leaving her for dead, with indelible scars. She is currently at Parirenyatwa group of hospitals, battling for life.

Munamba appeared in a Marondera court on Wednesday and was remanded in custody to June 22 pending Bakasa’s medical report.
Pastor Humphrey Chigumira of the Victory Tabernacle church in Mutare said men and women of God should be exemplary in public and in private.

“It is so unfortunate that a reverend can behave so badly that H-Metro can pounce on him like that. Anyone who is called to be a leader or a pastor should live their life as is prescribed by the Word.

“Every man or woman of God should be exemplary whether or not the public eye is on them,” he said.
Voicing the same sentiments was Pastor Gibson Murudzwa of Gospel Fire Ministries who said Munamba’s behaviour was an insult to the noble ministry of the Word.
“It is a disgrace for a man of God to be involved in adultery, let alone cause harm to other people like that. People should turn to pastors for help not fall victims to their lack of control over their emotions.

“It is sad that the woman had to go through so much torture but we just pray that she recovers soon,” said Pastor Murudzwa.
Another Mutare-based Pastor of Nyasha Faith Ministry, Pastor Joseph Anderson said this was something that was unexpected from a man of God and defeats the whole purpose of preaching about the good news and preaching against sin.

“This is something that is unheard of, a man of God to attempt to take someone’s life.
“With such men of the cloth, we are going to undergo scrutiny by the members of the public.

“I would love to believe that this is a way in which all he had been doing was revealed and this is fulfilment of sin which has to come out one way or the other.
“As if adultery is not enough he is now facing a more serious offence, attempted murder which is punishable by a jail term.

“Man of God especially the young ones should learn from this that sin cannot be hidden.
“It might take time to be discovered but it will come to light one way or the other.”

The Ministry of Women Affairs, Gender and Community Development Manicaland co-ordinator, Mrs Chido Tsinakwadi Madiwa weighed in, saying the law should descend heavily on reverend Munamba.

“This is a serious case of gender based violence.
“The law should take its course and descend heavily on this pastor.

“Many a time women suffer in the hands of men largely because of their femininity not because they would have done anything wrong.
“In this case, the woman had done the right thing, ending her relationship with a married, so there was no point in her being punished for doing the right thing.
“Instead, the reverend should be punished so that he understands that nobody is above the law,” she said.

Restoration of Human Rights (ROHR) Zimbabwe programmes officer and human rights activist Locadia Tapa said more needs to be done by the Government and other stakeholders to address cases of gender based violence against women.

“Gender-based violence has a significant impact at the individual level, with victims suffering from physical and mental effects, loss of earnings and increased healthcare costs.

“I feel that more should be done by the Government to address GBV cases.
The reverend in question should face the full wrath of the law. We are tired of people taking GBV for granted, it is a serious phenomenon haunting our communities and it should come to a halt,” said Tapa.

According to the Wikipedia, sulphuric acid is a highly corrosive strong mineral acid.
At high concentration, it causes very serious damage upon contact since it does not only cause chemical burns but also secondary thermal burns through dehydration. The acid is capable of causing severe burns to the skin.

It can lead to permanent blindness if splashed into eyes and irreversible damage if swallowed. Nitric acid, sulphuric acid, hydrochloric acid are today’s weapons of choice for criminals who hate women. These acids are easy to buy, easy to hide, easy to carry, and easy to throw.

In less than a minute, the bone under the skin can start to be exposed. If there is enough acid, the bone itself can become a soft mass of non-distinguishable jelly. Internal organs can dissolve.

Fingers, noses and ears can melt away like chocolate on a hot day.
Acid attacks deprive people of more than their looks and sight. Families are torn apart. Husbands leave their wives. Children are separated from their parents. Jobs vanish overnight, turning professionals into beggars.

Although there is a high survival rate amongst victims of acid attacks, the victim is faced with physical challenges, which require long-term surgical treatment as well as psychological challenges which require in-depth intervention from psychologists and counsellors at each stage of physical recovery. More-so, acid assault survivors face many mental health issues upon recovery, especially psychological distress due to one’s concern about their changed appearance.

Research has shown that sulphuric acid is known to be the easiest way of causing another person’s life-long suffering and the perpetrators are seldom punished. Their targets become outcasts. Many victims cannot get through a day without constant assistance, becoming burdens on their families. All bear the mark of the pariah.
What remains is a traumatised society in which domestic disputes, unhappy love affairs, and professional rivalries are nearly always resolved through violence.

A disfigured woman is not able to get married or get a job. She becomes a financial and social burden on her family.