A GRADE Four learner in Nyanga is heavily pregnant after she was interchangeably sexually abused by her uncle, a cousin and a school mate.
The learner, who cannot be named to protect her identity,
is now six months pregnant and in the interest of her future and that of her
baby, she is continuing with her lessons in line with Government’s policy.
She turned 13 on January 6.
Speaking on Wednesday during a public awareness campaign
spearheaded by The Manica Post to fight teen pregnancies and child marriages in
Marange, the Provincial Education Director, Mr Edward Shumba said every child
has the right to education, adding that under Zimbabwean law, pregnant girls
are allowed to continue with their education.
In an interview with The Manica Post on Monday at Kaitano
Primary School, with the consent of her father, the Grade Four learner revealed
that she was intimate with her uncle, who is in his late 40s; her 23-year-old
cousin and a 15-year-old school mate.
The abusers were identified as Alison Mabvundisa, Joseph
Mabota-Mabvumba and a 15-year old teenager (name withheld).
From enquiries done by this reporter in the area, the
uncle, a known artisanal gold miner, is strongly believed to have sexually
abused the minor as a way to enhance his gold mining initiatives, a ritual act
known as kupinga gomba.
This is done with the help of traditional healers.
The visibly shaken learner said: “I slept with Baba
vaTalent (Mabvundisa). This happened while I was alone at home. I also slept
with my schoolmate (name withheld) and Joseph Mabota-Mabvumba.”
In a separate interview, the Grade Four learner’s father,
(name withheld to protect her identity) said: “We were informed of her
pregnancy by the school authorities. In fact, we were summoned to the school
and they told us that she is pregnant.
“We are being assisted to handle the matter by a local
child care worker and we have been to the clinic with her. She is six months
pregnant now.
“The school allowed her to continue attending lessons and
will only be excused to give birth. She will continue with her education soon
afterwards. Her uncle is said to be the one responsible for the pregnancy.”
Asked on whether he has confronted his brother over the
issue, he said: “I have not talked to him. He is no longer coming this side. My
daughter also mentioned that she was intimate with two other people and this
complicates the whole issue.”
The local child care worker, Ms Dudzai Matiwenga said the
matter was reported to the police, adding that the suspects were briefly
arrested before they were released.
“I received the report of this child’s pregnancy after the
school authorities referred her to the clinic. Teachers discovered that she is
pregnant during a sports event.
When I contacted the Social Services Department, I was
advised to take the child to the police. The father had to sell a goat to raise
the bus fare for us to go to the police. Unfortunately the child has
difficulties in explaining what really happened to her.
“Two of the alleged perpetrators (the teenager and
Mabota-Mabvumba) were initially arrested, but have since been released. When we
went to the clinic, we were told that it is too late to terminate the
pregnancy,” she said.
“The child told us that she was in love with her school
mate and Mabota-Mabvumba. She said the school mate was her long time boyfriend.
She said he would visit her at home and coerce her to be intimate with him several
times.
“She also told us that she met Mabota-Mabvumba on her way
from fetching water while he was going to the tuck-shop. They got intimate that
day. Later, the issue of her uncle, who is his late 40s, then surfaced,” said
Ms Matiwenga.
The child care worker said she is now facing daily threats
from families of the accused persons.
“I am not sure how to continue with my work in this area
because of the threats I am getting from relatives of the accused persons. It
appears as if they think I have something against them, yet I am just trying to
help this child,” she said.
Ms Matiwenga said the situation has been worsened by the
questionable mental state of the Grade Four learner and her parents.
“It is sad that her (the learner)’s situation is being
worsened by her state of mind. This also applies to both her parents. They are
not articulate and seem to have mental health issues,” she said.
True to Ms Matiwenga’s observations, during the interviews
both the father and his child could only identify timelines through
meteorological seasons and not through actual months or dates.
Member of the House of Assembly for Nyanga North, under
whose jurisdiction the area falls, Honourable Chido Sanyatwe said: “It is sad
that we continue having cases of children being sexually abused when they
should be concentrating on their schoolwork.
“When I heard about her issue, I nearly cried. It is a
sorry state of affairs and I have already activated systems to see to it that
she gets all the necessary assistance. We will leave no place and person
behind, no matter their state, in our drive to develop our constituency and the
nation at large.” Manica Post
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