Courage Dutiro
Approaching Christmas everyone had expectations of joy and jubilation, but for a family in Manicaland, gender based violence (GBV) reared its ugly head and claimed the life of a teenage girl allegedly at the hands of some male relatives.
A family in Matiashe village in Chimanimani West spent half of the Christmas holidays in a sombre mood following the death of a 16-year-old form 4 girl, Lessego Mukudo who died minutes after she had been beaten by her two male relatives over allegations of trying to join the world’s oldest profession, commercial sex work.
Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) Manicaland provincial spokesperson Assistant Inspector Wiseman Chinyoka said the incident happened on December 22, 2021.
“The matter happened on December 22, 2021 around 21:00 hours at Nyanhanda homestead in Matiashe village. The accused persons are Comfort Chibvuma (23) who is related to the deceased Lesego Mukudo (16) and Munashe Njaravani (30) who is related to Grace Nemaramba, who is the late Mukudo’s aunt,” said Chinyoka.
It is said Mukudo was staying with her mother’s younger sister while attending school at St Patrick’s High School.
In Chimanimani like in any other patriarchal societies, the activities of girls and women are closely monitored and the maintenance of a girl’s “sexual purity” is regarded as the responsibility of male family members and other male relatives.
Speaking to TellZim News Headman Ephraim Matiashe confirmed the matter saying the girl was beaten to point of death over allegations of being promiscuous.
“The sorrowful event happened in my area. She lost her life after being beaten by her uncle, and another male relative over allegations of being naughty,” said Matiashe.
The traditional leader has however urged people to solve issues amicably without spilling blood.
Sources privy to the incident said on December 16, 2021 on 1600 hours Mukudo left home to an unknown destination and was later found by Chibvuma on December 22, 2021 at Hot Springs Business Centre and convinced her to return home.
When they arrived home, it is said around 20:00 hours Chibvuma started beating Mukudo with a stick before Njaravani later joined until the deceased became unconscious.
Another source who identified himself as Hardlife Doriro said when the two allegedly noticed that the deceased was lifeless, they told some family members that they were going to Nyanyadzi police station to report the matter and they then vanished into thin air and never made it to the police station.
The incident comes hard on the heels of the annual 16 days of activism against gender based violence, exposing the glaring need for GBV education to be taken to areas where harmful cultural practices like honour killings are rampant.
United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef) states that Gender-based violence (GBV) includes physical, sexual, mental or economic harm inflicted on a person because of socially ascribed power imbalances between males and females.
It also includes the threat of violence, coercion and deprivation of liberty, whether in public or private.
The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) estimates that about 5,000 women are killed worldwide annually for reasons of honour.
