adminCathrine Murombedzi
“IF we do not question some of the cultural practices which have a negative impact on our lives then the idea of ending HIV and Aids by 2030 will become a pipe dream for Zimbabwe.
“If Zimbabwe is left behind then there HIV and Aids will still be with us come 2030. We are a global village,” this was said by Headman Gandanzara on the sidelines of a Meaningful Involvement of People Living with HIV (MIPA) workshop by National Aids Council in Murehwa last Friday.
Headman Gandanzara spoke of kugara nhaka, chipare and bondwe as practices which fuel the spread of HIV.
Kugara nhaka is bequeathing a woman to replace the late spouse. Chipare is having several wives and bondwe is when a husband asks his wife for permission to marry another wife.
“Cultural practices e.g. kugara nhaka, chipare and bondwe are some practices which have a negative impact and we need to do away with them,” said Headman Gandanzara.
Headman Gandanzara went on to say when one is bequeathed with a replacement wife usually the woman is told what to do and she has to compile. Very few women have been able to say no to that. Some were bequeathed without their consent.
“A woman dies and the husband asks for a replacement. A girl is chosen to be the replacement. This is usually without her consent. There is no questioning of how the wife died. Families are just concerned of the gains they benefitted, so they want to maintain that relationship at all costs. No tests are done and if one died from an Aids-related illness then you find that the new wife in no time will be infected by HIV. This is sad and wrong and such a practice must be stopped,” said Headman Gandanzara.
Headman Gandanzara said families usually blame witchcraft in the event of any deaths in the family.
“People point fingers and witchcraft accusations fly in all directions without people looking at the medical cause of the death,” he added.
In our communities, we know the effect and position of chiefs, headman and village headman play. Communities listen to them. It is in this spirit that Headman Gandanzara was speaking from.
“Chiefs, headman and village headman need to be sensitised on the issue of ending Aids by 2030. They in turn become knowledgeable and pass down the information to their subjects,” he said. This sensitisation will spread to other areas, but the pilot programme is taking place in Manicaland Province, Makoni District with TAC ZHAAU president and headman Gandanzara spearheading the initiative.
The Ministry of Health and Child Care, Local Government, District Administrator for Makoni and National Aids Council are piloting the initiative in Makoni District before spreading to other communities.
“The courts ruled that 18 is the age of consent to marriage, but in communities girls under that age are getting married with families involved. The court’s ruling has to be implemented in the communities by us leaders and I am saying sensitise the community leaders so that this is followed,” said Headman Gandanzara.
“Chipare where a man has six wives and there is a duty roaster. The husband spends two nights in each bedroom and it takes more than 10 days for the man to return. What is the wife expected to do in the meantime. Wait for her turn while the husband is satisfied. There is a danger if the wife decides to find satisfaction outside. If this occurs and no protection is used, then the network of sexual infection takes place,” he said.
“We have to complement Government’s efforts in getting to zero new HIV infection. This is not a new programme at all, but needs to be kept on the national agenda,” he said.
Headman Gandanzara noted that with the current drought, young girls maybe given away in marriage, so sensitisation needs to be done with speed.
“Poverty fuels a lot of bad things and with the current drought, parents in need of grain and cattle will give away under-age girls in exchange for that. Chiefs, headman and village heads that is our duty to protect the girl child,” affirmed Headman Gandanzara.
“We as community leaders know the legality. We discourage 15-year-old girls getting married to a 59-year-old-man. If we remain silent as traditional leaders, then we are aiding in destroying the girl child,” said Headman Gandanzara.
“I am passionate about education. Educate a boy child and educate a girl child too. Education is the foundation and educating a woman is educating a community. One must marry for love, not to be given away to avert hunger in families, no that is wrong,” said Headman Gandanzara.
“We are saying no to under-age child marriages and by doing that we are saying no to new HIV infections. Marriage must be a choice of a person who has come of age,” he weighed in.
Talking of ending Aids by 2030 is important, but it calls for behaviour change, preventing new HIV infections and acting on cultural practices that fuel the spread of HIV.
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