-as hubby prescribe amount of sadza daily
MIDWEEK REPORTER
MARANGE-The Marange community was left dumb founded as husband and wife hung themselves next to each other facing different directions following a dispute over the amount of sadza to be cooked for the family.
According to neighbours and close relatives the husband, Peter Mukwada (29), had put a mark on the pot (shambakodzi) where the wife, Pure Gezana (21), should not exceed the amount of sadza to be cooked every day for the family as a way of serving mealie meal.
Some said he went on to drill a hole on the pot so that the water would spill if she exceeds the limit.
This did not go down well with the wife who decided to take her life by hanging herself on a tree about 50m from the homestead.
Manicaland Province Police spokesperson, Inspector Nobert Muzondo confirmed the sad incident which happened on June 2 in Rambai Village under Chief Marange.
On the fateful day the wife cooked sadza as usual but did not eat the food as she left while the husband was eating and went on to hang herself leaving behind a note saying that she had taken her life and the husband should look after their two children.
Insp Muzondo bemoaned the rise in domestic disputes which lead to loss of lives and called on parties to seek counselling from elders or community leaders when faced with such problems.
“Domestic disputes if not properly handled can end in death by murder or suicide and we urge people to seek counselling from family elders and stop resorting to violence or suicide as a way of solving disputes.
“The Marange incident comes hard on the heels of two other suicide cases in Chipinge and Nyanga where two men killed themselves over domestic disputes in the same week.
“God gave us the powers to solve our problems in an amicable manner and we should always seek help from others to avoid unnecessary loss of lives,” said Ins Muzondo.
An unidentified elderly neighbour to the Mukwadas said this is the first time she has witnessed such an incident where a couple commit suicide while facing different directions next to each other.
Village head Tendai Chipindirwe said Mukwada tried to call for help when he realised that his wife had hanged herself but it was too late as she had already died.
“After he called for help, he disappeared and we thought he had run away from the area to avoid reprisals from the community only to discover his body a few metres from his wife’s.
“He had tried to hang himself on one of the trees but it fell down and he proceeded to another one facing the opposite direction to his wife’s,” said Chipindirwe.
The late husband’s father Ephraim Mukwada also expressed shock at the incident and said he was not aware that the couple were facing problems to the extent of killing themselves.
Pure’s mother confirmed that the couple had serious problems dating back to more than five years and at one time the wife was chased away from her homestead but went back after she said she loved her husband and cannot have children with different men and would rather die with one husband.
“Her sister told us that at one time the husband would beat her up whenever he came across a suspicious message in her cellphone. He would beat her up for accompanying visitors from the homestead or even putting on new clothes, he was very abusive and jealousy, but she was not prepared to leave him,” said the mother.
“My daughter left a note stating that, ndafa nekushungurudzwa in my marriage. Murume wangu ndinokuda usare uchichengeta vana vedu, Mapisarema 1 vs 1,” she added.
The two were laid to rest at their respective villages of origin this week.
