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Robin Muchetu, Senior Reporter
THE nine-year-old pregnant Tsholotsho girl who is admitted at United Bulawayo Hospitals will not keep the baby after delivery until she is mature enough to understand motherhood.
This was revealed by a probation officer from the Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare in the Department of Social Development in Tsholotsho District, Matabeleland North province, Mr Brighton Ndebele, who is handling the case.
Mr Ndebele said the department has been handling the case since it was discovered that the girl was pregnant, and has been having periodic meetings with the family, police and health personal to ensure that the pregnant girl is adequately taken care of.
“On 27 April 2021 the family visited the hospital in Tsholotsho after being referred by their local clinic to share their concerns on the menstruating minor and were told it was possible that she had early puberty.
“In February 2022, the menstruation stopped and they assumed the matter had been solved. Around June/July they discovered her stomach was swelling. On 29 August 2022 they presented again with the child and a bulging stomach, which turned out to be a pregnancy.
“We immediately took the child to a place of safety under a trained foster parent. The 29-year-old father was also arrested on the same day,” he said.
The child’s mother revealed that the girl started her menstrual cycle aged seven, which prompted them to visit the local clinic and a prophet to “stop the anomaly”.
When the pregnancy was discovered, it was considered late and dangerous to the girl to perform an abortion, a health official said.
“It was decided that the child was to remain in a place of safety with the hope that she would disclose who had violated her, and also that the father remains in Tsholotsho Prison until investigations are over and further tests are done on the baby.
“We also proceeded with the Victim Friendly Unit in the village for more investigations and we even reached the prophet whom the family had consulted over the menstruating child. We went to the school for investigations,” said Mr Ndebele.
When she gives birth, it was also agreed among social welfare officials and the family that she does not keep the baby with her but be allowed to recuperate and be shown the baby “at an appropriate time”.
“The reasons are she is a child that will be traumatised by child birth and allowing her to take up the role of a mother and miss school will traumatise her further and make her lose confidence in front of her peers that she is a mother at nine years,” he said.
“That may be a challenge to her so we are avoiding that. If we manage to maintain that position for a while, that she does not know that she had a baby, we will then find a way to explain to her later. That is the position we took during our meeting but if other suggestions come up, we will adjust,” said Mr Ndebele.
The nine-year-old is eight months pregnant, and officials said she is not aware of the pregnancy as she believes she has a “stomach ailment.” – @NyembeziMu
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