WHAT started off as an ordinary assignment to understand
the life of Matias Ganuka, a blind polygamist, ended up as a heart-wrenching
journey.
The blind man operates in Harare’s CBD, but hails from
Siakobvu, Kariba. Ganuka, popularly known in his home area as Mudhara Kabotoro,
has four wives. He, together with his four disabled wives and 20 children,
leads a life that touches the hearts of those who get to interact with the
family. In fact, the man and his family
need urgent help, not from just ordinary people, but even from the powers that
be.
Like most blind beggars, he is always accompanied by one of
his children — a young boy who appears streetwise. A few yards away from him,
his second wife, Feria, is also begging and is accompanied by a young girl,
their daughter. For any passer-by, it is hard to tell that the two are husband
and wife.
Positioning themselves strategically to beg for their huge
family, the Ganukas are such a sad life story. To understand the family more,
The Sunday Mail Society travelled to Kariba to get a feel of their home and
spend time with the blind polygamist’s three other wives and children.
Tucked at the foot of the rugged hills of Siakobvu’s
Kasvisva village, Ganuka’s homestead looks lifeless. It is late afternoon and any lively household
should be preparing for supper, yet for the Ganukas, there is no hope for an
evening meal. Emerging from one of the
tiny huts is a pale disabled woman, panting heavily with her eyes bulging as if
she is scared of the unseen.
She drags herself on her backside to welcome us. This is
Jennifer, Ganuka’s third wife.
Later, the first and fourth wives emerge from the
surrounding bushes, both walking with the aid of crutches. Esnarah, the first wife, mysteriously became
disabled when she was still a toddler. She does not recall what happened to
her.
Feria lost her sight to measles when she was three. Since she can walk properly, she is the one
who usually accompanies their husband to Harare to beg.
Jennifer, on the other hand, has long history of illness.
“I was bitten by a lizard when I was still a teenager and
since then, I have never been able to walk. If I eat or drink anything, I
vomit. I always have an empty can on me for use when I vomit. I rarely pass
stool,” she narrated.
Sometimes, Jennifer experiences seizures, which makes it
risky for her to be home alone. Therefore, her 16-year-old son does all the
household chores and has to bath her when she is not feeling well. Rumbidzai,
the fourth and youngest wife, had her legs burnt when she was still a toddler.
Her maternal family (the Matashus) conducted some rituals
and she was made to sit on some hot ashes. All the four wives are illiterate,
and do not know their exact ages and none of them has or can operate a
cellphone.
Feria has her own compound while the other three live under
one roof.
“We are grounded here because of our disabilities, so our
sister wife has to travel with baba while we take care of the household. Upon
return, it is up to her to distribute what they will have brought home. We accept
whatever quantities we are given, although at times it feels unfair. We cannot
argue over that,” the trio revealed.
Ganuka sired 20 children with his four wives. However,
eight died while the others depend on their father for survival. Eighteen of
them were primary school drop-outs, while two are in Grade Two and Form Two.
Just like Feria, Ganuka lost his sight to measles when he
was only four.
“I usually come with Feria. She is blind but can walk, unlike
the other wives. We spend three months begging before going back home for a
month’s break. Well-wishers give us money, clothes and food, but it is not
enough for the entire family,” said Ganuka.
He revealed that some villagers used to discriminate against
his family, saying they were not supposed to benefit from food aid programmes.
“Because of polygamy, others would judge me. Even my
children were discriminated against. We ended up losing out on food aid
programmes. Neighbours would not help us, which prompted me to travel to Harare
to beg,” he said.
In Harare, Ganuka, Feria and their two children pay $30
monthly rentals for a room in Overspill, Epworth. Daily, they travel to the
CBD, where they pocket between $50 and $80 on a good day. On other days, it is
much less. Usually when they travel back to Kariba, Ganuka would have pocketed
between $1 500 and $2 000.
While the Ganukas are currently gathering inputs for the
farming season, they have no food reserves, hence they are surviving from hand
to mouth.
Ganuka has no livestock at his homestead; tillage is
manually done by his children and disabled wives.
“To travel to and from Kariba, some buses now require a
fare, it is tough. That’s why we are now staying longer in Harare. In the past,
we would go back home every month,” he
said.
He recalls how tough it was growing up without sight. He
was constantly stigmatised, which forced him to abandon school when he was in
Grade One.
However, blindness did not discourage him from falling in
love. Sadly, he was often turned down. Feeling frustrated, he decided that he
would only pursue disabled women.
“I had several relationships, but they all failed, the
women would spend the little I got from my fishing nets business and dump me
later. Out of frustration, I decided that I would only chase the disabled
ones.”
He got into his first marriage in 1978, the second one in
1991, third one in 1998 and the last one in 2010. Although he has never seen any of his wives,
the sound of their voices is sweet music in his ears. The feel of their skin is
enough for Ganuka.
Feria wishes to see her husband’s face one day.
“Since losing sight, all I have known is darkness in my
eyes. I have never seen my husband. But due to his voice and touch, it feels
like I see him smiling every day, although I wish for more,” she said. Feria
does all her household chores without any assistance. She balances being a
mother, wife and a street beggar.
All of Ganuka’s children are able-bodied. Sunday Mail
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