Chronicle Editor
Mkhululi Ncube, Chronicle Reporter
THE Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission (ZHRC) on Monday came face-to-face with violation of children’s health rights when it visited a Johanne Marange Apostolic Sect family in Gwambe Village, Bulilima District, which does not believe in seeking medical assistance.
The Mazali family which has lost four children in less than seven months to unknown ailments, did not take the minors to any clinic or hospital.
The children belong to four Mazali brothers who are all in polygamous marriages, each having two wives.
First to die was 16-month-old Mthokozisi Ncube in September last year, followed by one-year-old Abednico on March 3 this year, then three-year-old Annabel 13 days later and the latest eight-month-old Peter, who died on April 23.
The family did not inform community leaders about the first three deaths and secretly buried the children.
The last child died on a mountain near the homestead during a night vigil where he was taken for prayers as they tried to save his life.
When this failed, it is said the four brothers’ wives took the body and dumped it in their mother-in-law’s bedroom.
They allegedly threatened to return to their respective families saying they were tired of losing their children without action being taken.
This forced the mother-in-law to report them to the village head who in turn reported the matter to Chief Kandana, who called the police.
Police took the body to Plumtree District Hospital for post-mortem and the cause of death was diagnosed as “failure to thrive.”
A medical expert said failing to thrive means the child was not growing up well.
A four-member ZHRC commission delegation led by the deputy chairperson Mrs Dorothy Moyo and Bulilima District Development Coordinator executive assistant Ms Erica Makwindi visited the family homestead on Monday.
They were joined by Headman Takalinga and Village Head of the area, Bunyonyo.
The commission’s visits came after a story which was carried by Chronicle, exposing the family which shuns hospitals, immunisation and doctor-aided child-delivery.
The family, which supports polygamy and having as many children as possible, is adamant that death would rather wipe out the entire clan than have any one of them set foot in a hospital.
The ZHRC deputy chairperson and her team tried in vain to convince the family about the need to respect the children’s rights as enshrined in the country’s Constitution.
It also emerged during the meeting that there was a child that has never been to school and does not have a birth certificate as her mother separated with one of the polygamous brothers due to his refusal to seek medical attention.
The mother left three children at the homestead; two have birth certificates but the youngest does not have.
A family representative and father to the girl child, Mr Siza Ncube who seemed unbothered by the issue said he will explain to her when she is mature why she did not go to school.
Another daughter-in-law in the family, who is pregnant, is said to have gone back to her family last week in protest after the deaths.
Mr Ncube told the delegation that the family is only governed by the bible and not the Constitution.
“We will never go to hospital unless you arrest us and chain us but besides that it will never happen. Our wish is that you leave us alone to practice our religion in peace. We do not mix religion and medicine because once we do that, we would have forsaken our faith,” declared the long bearded Mr Ncube.
He said if a member of the sect goes to hospital it will be a sign that they would have failed to practice their region, something that the family will not do even at risk of all of them dying.
He also said the family interprets the visit by the commission as trying to force them to live “their way”.
“If you will not arrest us then leave us alone. You will never understand what we do because you are in the world and we are in the light.
We may talk the whole day but nothing will change by talking to us. All these deaths that are a concern to you are the consequences that the bible plainly say we will experience in this life,” he said.
Mr Ncube said he views children’s rights that ZHRC was educating them about as the “world’s gospel” which has nothing to do with them.
He said even if given hundreds of reasons to change their minds on hospitalisation or if all Government departments congregate at the homestead, they will not budge.
The family matriarch Mrs Percy Ncube, who is the midwife of the church, said she can never deviate from the path her husband left her and the family in.
“I have nothing much to say serve to inform you that I stand on non hospitalisation. You are not the first to come here and we will never change. I will also continue to deliver the babies,” she said.
After about two hours of talking the delegation left homestead with the family still determined as ever.
Mrs Moyo, the ZHRC deputy chairperson, said it was sad that there are still sects which are trampling on the rights of children through their religious beliefs.
She said the next course of action will be determined through a report that they will compile.
“We came here to Gwambe Village because of the issue of this Johanne Marange Apostolic sect family which does not believe in taking their children to hospital. The family is adamant that their religion does not allow them to do so.
“It is sad that we still have sects and communities who do not believe in hospitals. They also do not believe that the Constitution is binding to them. From here we will compile a report that will determine the next course of action,” said Mrs Moyo.
Headman Takalinga said the family is at great risk of being wiped out by treatable diseases.
The headman said the traditional leadership is bound by the Constitution which gives the family the right to practice their beliefs.
He challenged Government through its departments to apply the law which pertains to such cases as the community is at risk from infectious diseases should the family be infected.
The commission latter engaged community leaders who included traditional and church leaders on human rights at the nearby Magabha Shopping Centre. — @themkhust.
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