Councillor impregnates and dumps his domestic worker

A Chitungwiza councillor has come under fire for allegedly impregnating and dumping his domestic worker. Clr Leonard Mukwesha of Ward 25 is being accused of impregnating his former house-maid Stembeni Kunaka (18), before dumping her as he denies responsibility.

Stembeni, who was employed at Mukwesha's Unit G Extension house in June last year, claims that she is living in fear of her former boss-cum-lover she now accuses of sending people to harass her.

"He proposed love to me and our relationship blossomed. In March this year, I told him that I was pregnant and he started harassing me. He stopped calling me and did not pick up his phone each time I called him," said the 18-year-old Stembeni.

Troubled by why their hot love had suddenly cooled down, Stembeni decided to call his former paymaster's wife Charity Sithole, who was sympathetic.

"Councillor sent his friend to tell me to stop calling him. I then eloped with him but he came along with his friend and they took me to my uncle's workplace who in turn told me that it was not the proper way to elope," said Stembeni.

Meanwhile, street word has it that Stembeni had been sleeping outside in the cold. Stembeni said after realising that the situation had become tough for her, she consumed rat poison in a bid to commit suicide.

"I was then taken to a doctor who treated me. Councillor gave me bus fare to travel to my rural home in Murewa and said he would come back after four weeks and took me to Chegutu to stay with his sister. I was there for a month and he sent bus fare for me to travel back to Harare. When I arrived at Makoni Shopping Centre, he switched off his phone and I could not get through. When I got to his house, his wife told me that he was in and he just said come straight inside and talk to him. Upon seeing me, he started shouting and packed his bags and left saying I should live with his wife," narrated Stembeni.

She is now in dire straits on how she is going to take care of the baby.

"When I was served with papers, he told me not to go to court and he gave me US$20 to go to rural areas. He wanted me to ask my sister to help me in joining her in South Africa but my mother was against the idea saying I should not travel in my condition and I could not skip the border. Councillor later gave me US$40 to buy things for resell. I bought airtime recharge cards which I sold and used some of the money to get a few clothes for the baby. There is a police officer who told me that I can apply for maintenance after the baby is born," she said.

In June, Stembeni sent messages insulting the Councillor's wife and she was arrested and taken to court. She was ordered to perform community service at Makoni.

"I was supposed to perform 105 hours but I have been transferred to Murewa because I was sleeping outside in the cold and I told them that I could no longer perform there but would rather do it where I have accommodation," she added.

When reached for comment, Councillor Mukwesha played hide and seek but eventually owned up.

'That story was published in The Herald and I don't see the reason why you should publish it. Who told you that?" he said before asking to meet with this news crew in person.

"Okay I am coming. Let me get some money for my bus fare. I am coming then we can talk,"

Councillor Mukwesha then directed our news crew to Unit C junction where he said he was. When our news crew got there, his mobile had been switched off and was not reachable until the time of going to press.