Chronicle Editor
Nqobile Tshili
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RESIDENTS of Bulawayo’s Pumula South suburb have teamed up against a woman in their neighbourhood who is allegedly abusing her eight-year-old stepdaughter and denying her food despite being on medication.
The woman who is alleged to be denying the girl food despite the fact that she is on medication among other abuses, was reported to the police and investigations are underway.
It is alleged that Ms Memory Nkomo frequently assaults the girl and forces her to do household chores before she goes to school.
Residents said Ms Nkomo physically abuses the girl in the full glare of neighbours. The woman married the victim’s father, Mr Miggie Sibanda in 2020 following the death of the girl’s mother in 2015.
A resident, Mr Clive Moyo on Monday broke the silence when he posted on a residents’ WhatsApp group demanding action to be taken against the alleged abusive Ms Nkomo.
“When she assaults the girl, she does it in the open and the child will be screaming for help. It really pained me and I asked myself what if it were my child? So I decided to post it in the residents’ group so that action is taken to end the abuse,” he said.
Mr Moyo said the girl lost her mother when she was about a week old and her father is the one who was taking care of her until he married Ms Nkomo.
“The child is being denied food despite the fact that she is on medication,” he said.
Mr Moyo who said the abuse has since been reported to the police, said the girl is fed on leftovers.
“I also reported the same matter to Childline and they told me that I should give them an update on how police are handling the matter before they could intervene. We want the child to be in a safe environment,” he said.
Pumula South Habbek Area residents’ chairperson Mr Mhlanga commended Mr Moyo for speaking out on the abuse of the minor.
“We were in the dark, we didn’t know anything about it and it seems some of the neighbours were afraid of exposing this woman,” he said.
Mr Mhlanga said Ms Nkomo and her husband have gone to an extent of threatening to chase away their 23-year-old son whom they accused of exposing the abuse.
A resident who declined to reveal her identity for fear of being victimised, said the child is traumatised.
“It really pains me to witness what this child is going through. The girl apart from being abused, is not allowed to play with other children,” she said.
She said the girl is forced to wake up early in the morning to sweep the yard before going to school.
When a Chronicle news crew visited the victim’s home yesterday, Ms Nkomo was not at home.
Efforts to contact her on her cellphone were fruitless and she continuously hung up the phone.
Her husband, Mr Sibanda said he was not aware of any form of abuse against his daughter.
“When I asked my wife, she denied ever abusing the child and as far as I know, my daughter is fine. You can even come and see her when she is at home,” he said.
Bulawayo police spokesperson Inspector Abednico Ncube confirmed that they are investigating the matter following a tip-off from residents.
“We visited the house where the child stays but unfortunately the child is away on holiday since schools are closed,” he said.
Insp Ncube said police officers handling the case need to talk to the girl as part of their investigations.
He commended residents for their vigilance.
In 2018, Childline Zimbabwe received 25 000 cases of child abuse. Sexual abuse cases accounted for 26 percent, physical abuse 20 percent, neglect 17 percent, emotional abuse 17 percent and other forms of abuse 20 percent.
Last year, Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Minister, Professor Paul Mavima said his ministry had resolved to relocate the victims of child abuse from their homes to safe havens and places of safety as part of efforts to protect them from perpetrators.–@nqotshili
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