Man commits suicide after wife gives birth to triplets

THE adage that children are a gift from God proved otherwise for an Epworth man, Simbarashe Shambira, 31, who took his own life after his wife, Doreen Muwunganirwa, 31, gave birth to triplets.

The late Shambira is said to have committed suicide by hanging himself on a tower light, three months after the children where born.

The triplets - all girls - are now six months old.

H-Metro caught up with the widow who now resides at her parents' house in Unit N Chitungwiza.

"My husband committed suicide three months later after I gave birth to triplets. After giving birth, I came and stayed with my parents in Chitungwiza as I could not take care of them on my own.

"My husband seemed not to like this arrangement and he wanted us to go and live on our own in Epworth but this was impossible since the kids were still very young and I needed a helping hand.

"On the morning of September 14 last her, he woke up early in the morning at around 3 am and told me that he wanted to go and smoke outside.

"I got worried when he took so long and that's when I told my mother.

"The next day we heard people saying that a man had been found hanging on a tower light and when we got to the scene we realised it was my husband," narrated a tearful Doreen. The late Shambira had earlier tried to kill himself by setting his room on fire while his wife was still in hospital with the babies who had been born prematurely.

He is said to have been restrained by his neighbours in Epworth.

Although the birth of these triplets came as a shock to the couple, Doreen said she never anticipated that her husband could take his own life.

"This whole thing came as a shock to both of us especially because we had not planned on my getting pregnant. I discovered that I was pregnant with triplets, when I was four months on.

"I cried uncontrollably when the nurse told me that I was carrying triplets since I did not have any capacity to fend for these children.

"At that time, I cursed God and asked myself why that had happened to me. I got a lot of counselling from my mother from the time when I was pregnant up to this day," she said.

Doreen who already had an 18 months year old daughter is now under the care of her parents who have now taken the role fending for her family.

Now the parents have the responsibility of taking care of Doreen and her four children.

A member of the Johane Masowe sect, Doreen's mother, Eve Mazanhi under these circumstances still believe in the adage that children are a blessing from the Almighty and she has vowed to take care of her grandchildren. Doreen's father who is employed as a technician a Tel-One is now the breadwinner for this family and the wife says he is committed in supporting his grandchildren

"Vana chipo chinobva kunaMwari mwanangu, chero zvakaoma sei. (Children are a gift from God my child). Its unfortunate my son-in-law got possessed by some evil spirits that made him take his own life, I wish he was here to see these kids grow.

"Fending for them has not been easy for me and my husband, they consume a tin of 400g NAN 2 everyday asi tinovimba kuti Mwari vachatibatsira kuti tiyarutse vana ava. (I believe God will guide us).

"I'm very grateful for all the support that I got from my neighbours from the time these children where born up today," she said.

Doreen conceded that no one from his husband's relatives had assisted her take care of the children

"My father-in-law resides in Mbare but he has never bothered to find out how these children are doing. There have not been any of his relatives who have come and visited us ever since he passed on. The only person who seems to be concerned is his mother who often calls to find out how they are," she noted.