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Hazel Marimbiza
It does not matter what people think or say about you. What matters is what you think about and how you communicate with self. If this part is not solid you will become everyone’s slave.
The above words by one Zimbabwean, Monica Kunzekweguta who is an international best-selling author based in Canada are a true reflection of her life.
Although she is now recognised as a best-selling author for her stories which are featured in several United States anthologies her fame did not come easily.
Kunzekweguta told B-Metro that she didn’t imagine she would be successful because she experienced a terrible childhood.
After her parents divorced her father moved to Honde Valley and her mother went to the United States. By then she was 13 years old. She remained in Zimbabwe and went to boarding school so during the holidays she would spend time with her father and stepmother.
Back then, Honde Valley had a strong Mapostori hold. Her father attended an Apostolic Sect church which had restrictions that she was not used to.
“I had often heard that during those days the men from the church would identify young girls whom they wanted to marry and kidnap them. If you disappeared elders in the church assumed that you would have slept with the man hence you were dirty so you would automatically get married to that man,” said Kunzekweguta.
She added: “The reality of the situation struck me one day when I was in Form Two and at school. A group of men aged about 40 to 50 years old with long beards came to visit me and wanted me to go with them but I refused. I could not tell anyone what they had come for because I was humiliated so I just told my teachers they were my uncles.”
Kunzekweguta said her actions sparked rage in the church.
“My resistance angered the men in the church and they started pressuring my father to pull me out of school. Churchmates kept quizzing my father asking why I wasn’t married. They thought maybe I was a prostitute because they always think if you are not married, there is something you are doing to fulfil your needs. I was lucky because I managed to complete my Form Four and I passed. However, my happiness was short-lived because my father said I couldn’t go any further with my education.
Little did Kunzekweguta know that her parents had already strategised on getting her married.
“My father and stepmother had already planned to marry me to a poor elderly man who had a wife and many children. I visited the man once and when he expressed his interest in me I pleaded with him to give me time to think about his proposal.
“When I returned home my stepmother asked me what had transpired and when I told her all went well, she expressed so much excitement. But, in my mind I was secretly strategising on how to escape.
“I ran away from home and went to stay with relatives in Harare who took me to A-level and then university. After that I had the opportunity to go to the States where I managed to write a best selling book which is mainly about my struggles.”
Kunzekweguta said now she channels resources to most rural areas in Zimbabwe so as to educate the girl child.
“I was very disadvantaged. In the rural areas I didn’t know about libraries. A lot of work still needs to be done and the effective way of doing it is to educate the girls. In 2007 I started a project called Inspiration for Kids International which provides library books to children in rural Zimbabwe. I am a public speaker and author and all my books are inspired by my life story. I have managed to donate over 5 000 books and talk to the students in rural areas. I tell them about my life story because I believe true life stories develop people,” said Kunzekweguta.
Although Kunzekweguta’s relationship with her father was strained after she ran away from home they managed to talk and now they have a healthy relationship.
“At first I viewed my father as a cruel man who didn’t talk to me for many years and had taken the side of the church. But as I began writing my other books I put myself in his shoes and I began to understand that he suffered as much as I did as people in the church mocked him for failing to control me,” said Kunzekweguta.
Her bravery to escape a forced marriage has seen most Apostolic Sects encouraging their daughters to go to school.
“My father still resides in Honde Valley and still goes to the same church. Whenever those people see me they get so excited and I can tell they are inspired. Now most of them are encouraging their daughters to go to school,” said Kunzekweguta.
Online Reporter