Mashonaland chief in legal trouble over abuse directed at woman

The national Council of Chiefs has been petitioned to act on an errant chief who was filmed verbally abusing a woman during a village court sitting.

Chief Nyamaropa, of Shamva in Mashonaland Central, called the woman "stupid" and said there was "nothing amazing about you" in a shocking tirade that left her visibly shaken.

The chief's rant was all because the woman wore sunglasses.

Now a human rights activist Pritchard Tafadzwa Paradzayi has written to the chiefs' body urging it to investigate the traditional leader's conduct.

Paradzayi, who is represented by rights lawyer Obey Shava, also shared his concerns with local government minister Daniel Garwe, who oversees chiefs.

In a letter dated November 29, Paradzayi referred to a video he came across on November 24, 2014, on YouTube in which the chief, real name Munyaradzi Tiringe, was seen admonishing a female litigant.

Nyamayaro is seen telling the woman: "Bvisa magirazi ayo. Bvisa mazigirazi. Bvisa maziso. Schupeti. Unotonga kumba kwamai vako kwete munyika mangu wazvinzwa? Uri kuda kuona kuti panapa wakanyanya? Saka wanga uchitaura pakuita sei? Usaite huschupeti wazvinzwa? Hauna chauri kushamisira pauri. Wazvinzwa?"

Paradzayi says Nyamaropa's actions reflect a contemptuous and degrading attitude towards women, emphasising the influence of his position and the wide dissemination of the incident across various social media platforms.

"It gives an impression that the rights of women are not respected in traditional courts and can be violated with impunity," the letter stated.

The activist further argued that Nyamaropa's conduct is not defensible from the perspective of a reasonable, fair-minded, and informed individual.

He described the behaviour as an affront to the order and decorum expected of traditional leaders in all proceedings.

Moreover, he asserted that Nyamaropa's actions fail to meet the standards traditional leaders are supposed to embody and promote in terms of judicial conduct, which is crucial for fostering public confidence.

Paradzayi adds: "We advise that Chief Nyamaropa's conduct impairs his subjects' dignity in violation of section 51 of the constitution and violates their right to a fair hearing as enshrined under section 69 of the Constitution.

"We are therefore instructed to demand, as we hereby do, that you investigate Chief Nyamaropa's conduct in the discharge of his judicial duties and take corrective action which shall be communicated to us within ten (10) days of receipt of this letter, failing which we are under strict instructions to compel you through litigation. We hope this shall not be necessary."

Chief Nyamaropa is not new to controversy. In November last year, the Magistrates Court in Bindura reversed a maintenance order he granted to a woman and said the actions of his debt collectors bordered on criminality.

In the bizarre case, the chief was petitioned by a woman in a polygamous marriage who wanted maintenance from the first wife after their husband Rayson Bhobho left for South Africa.

The court heard that Judith Gonye, the first wife, acquired knowledge about farming tobacco and managed to buy five cows after her husband left her to live with his second wife, Loice Mukumba.

When Bhobho left for South Africa, Mukumba claimed maintenance from Gonye. Incredibly, the chief awarded her a cow and US$50.

Mukumba returned with more financial demands including US$480 for hers and her children's upkeep, US$110 arrears, US$150 for school fees and a debt of US$330 she wanted repaid.

Chief Nyamaropa dispatched her debt collectors who, at gun point, forced Gonye to surrender her four remaining cows and also seized her 10 first grade tobacco bales after giving her 48 hours to pay US$1,150 which allegedly included storage for the tobacco.

The Legal Aid Directorate took up Gonye's case and the Bindura Civil Court ordered the chief to return US$1,200 taken from Gonye and her cattle after finding that he had no jurisdiction to entertain maintenance cases.