Gutu, Zimbabwe | Residents of Chiguhune in Gutu are shocked by the case of a 50-year-old man accused of repeatedly sexually abusing his daughter, who is reportedly the mother of his two children.
The incident, which came to light late last year, was reported to both the Zimbabwe Gender Commission (ZGC) and the Police. However, villagers are growing frustrated with the slow progress of the investigation.
ZGC CEO Virginia Muwanigwa stated that she would need updates from the investigating officer before commenting on the matter. Similarly, Masvingo Police spokesperson Inspector Kudakwashe Dhewa could not be reached for comment.
The survivor, now 25 years old, has been relocated to live alone with her two children in the home of a relative. Her younger sisters, who are key witnesses in the case, were also moved out of the family home due to concerns about potential violence from their father, who is described as abusive.
The incident reportedly occurred in Chawira Village. To protect the identity of the survivor, the father’s name has not been disclosed. Villagers have expressed concerns over the well-being of the two sisters, who have not been able to return home or resume school since the term began. They have called on authorities to expedite the investigation to restore a sense of normalcy for the children.
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Ekenia Chifamba, director of the organization Shamwari Yemwanasikana, criticized the decision to leave the children in the care of relatives. She emphasized that the Department of Social Welfare should have taken responsibility for ensuring the safety of the survivor and her siblings, adding that the current arrangement could have long-term negative effects on their mental and physical health.
“The Department of Social Welfare is trained to handle cases like this. It is concerning that these children were left with relatives instead of being placed in safe, supervised environments,” Chifamba said.
The accused man has denied the allegations in a telephone interview. However, the village head, Patrick Madziva, confirmed the abuse, stating that it had been ongoing since the survivor was 16 years old. She now has two children, aged eight and four. Madziva also revealed that the girl’s younger sisters remain in hiding due to fear of their father’s violent behavior.
“This issue has been widely discussed in the community, but reporting it to the local Police post has not led to any action,” said Madziva.
The accused man’s elder brother also corroborated the abuse, explaining that the family decided to remove the survivor from the home due to repeated incidents of assault. The accused’s wife further claimed that she had personally witnessed her husband engaging in inappropriate acts with their daughter on several occasions.
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