Online Reporter
Arron Nyamayaro
LEADERS of the Twins Association of Zimbabwe were sent on a wild goose chase yesterday by a man who claimed that his wife had given birth to quintuplets at Karanda Hospital.
The TAZ leaders — Farai Lawyer Katonha and Tendai Mayor Katonha – were contacted by the man at the weekend.
And, yesterday, they travelled to Karanda Mission Hospital hoping to see the couple and the five newly-born children.
It has since been established that the 32-year-old man who approached the TAZ officials works for the City of Harare.
He identified himself as Valetta Nyamupfukudza and called the TAZ leaders seeking assistance.
He claimed that his wife Magret Rachel Kachave, 33, gave birth to quintuplets last week.
The TAZ officials shared the information with H-Metro and we contacted the man, who calls himself Nyamupfukudza, over the weekend.
He also told us, in a recorded interview, that his wife gave birth to five children last week.
He claimed that this was his wife’s second delivery and, in the first one, she had delivered twins – a boy and a girl
.This time, he claimed, the family had been blessed with three boys and two girls.
According to him, this meant that the couple now had seven kids – four boys and three girls.
The Katonha twins went to the hospital to try and establish how best they could help the ‘couple.’The twins revealed that they had already put into motion a campaign to try and secure help for this ‘couple.’
However, on arrival at Karanda Hospital they were advised by authorities that this all appeared to have been a hoax.
Hospital Medical Superintendent, Dr Paul Thistle, dismissed the man’s claims.
“We have no patient at our maternity ward who gave birth to quintuplets as claimed.
“We have never had such a record at this hospital.
“Our last rare maternity report was recorded last year when we received three sets of triplets.
“We want to thank the Twins Association of Zimbabwe for their concerns following the false report and rushing here to assist.”It showed the concern by the Association for twins and multiple births,” said Dr Thistle.
The Katonha twins said:
“We are yet to understand the reason for calling the Association with false claims.
“Maybe, he is eager and curious to get assistance or to have twins.
“It was better to seek assistance using the truth than using falsehoods.
“We are yet to calculate the cost of the trip to Karanda Hospital, which is almost 210km from Harare.
“We always receive calls from parents but this is one was an evil call considering the false information he gave us.”
They added:
“He went on to give names and claims that he has twins who are in Grade 4.
“A number of people call our offices for help unaware that we first verify and investigate if there is need for help.
“By naming a hospital, which is away from Harare, he might have thought that we would not bother to verify or travel to that hospital.
“Some corporates, church leaders and individuals had pledged to assist through the Association.”
