adminLiberty Dube
A woman from Zimta Park in Chikanga has caused stir in the sprawling suburb for cohabiting with two boyfriends in one room.
The two men, whose names could not be ascertained by the time of going to print, are said to be comfortable with the rare arrangement according to neighbours and residents privy to the strange set up.
The woman, popularly known as Zhula, is a “celebrity” in the area and usually spends more time boozing at local bars in the area.
Zhula was recorded by our mole instructing and chatting with her two lovebirds in a 7-minute video clip that has gone viral on social media.
When The Weekender visited the suburb on Tuesday morning, Zhula was reported to have gone to her usual drinking base and had not returned home.
Her first husband or rather boyfriend had reportedly gone to Penhalonga while the other half’s whereabouts were unknown.
“They went out.
“But check this coming weekend, you will see her and her two men.
“They live happily and it seems they are enjoying themselves.
“The two men call each other babamunini and babamukuru and they are very comfortable with the arrangement,” said one neighbour who requested anonymity.
Another resident said:
“This is strange but for someone like Zhula, anything is possible.
“She does not mind about the society, she can do whatever she wishes at any time. This has been happening for quite some time.
“They are living as a family.”
A concerned resident said it was unfortunate that Zhula was staying with one of her husbands as well as her daughter in one room.
“They share the same room. And that’s unacceptable. Don’t reveal my name I will be in trouble,” she said.
The practice is known as Polyandry.
It is a form of polygamy whereby a woman takes two or more husbands at the same time.
Polyandry is contrasted with polygamy — which involves one male and two or more females.
Polyandry is also distinct from group marriage — involving plural participants of each sex.
Most broadly, polyandry refers to sexual relations with multiple males, within or without marriage.
It is believed to be more likely in societies with scarce environmental resources, as it is believed to limit human population growth and enhance child survival.
It is a rare form of marriage that exists not only among poor families, but also the elite.
According to the Ethnographic Atlas (1980), of 1,231 societies noted, 186 were monogamous; 453 had occasional polygyny; 588 had more frequent polygyny; and 4 had polyandry.
Polyandry is less rare than this figure, which listed only those examples found in the Himalayan Mountains.
The arrangement is very rare in Zimbabwe and was last heard of last year in Chigodora area.
Online Reporter