Hubby in court for bedding maids

A Harare woman, Martha Kanyera, has revealed that her marriage to her ex-husband, Daniel Kanyera, ended because of his alleged affair with their household maids. Martha claims that Daniel's behavior, which included sexual relationships with the maids, contributed to the collapse of their marriage, leaving her humiliated and socially ostracised.

Speaking before the Harare Civil Court, where she sought a protection order against Daniel, Martha said: "My ex-husband is shameless. Daniel is in the habit of sleeping with our maids in our house and this led to our divorce. People now call me names because of his behaviour, and no one wants to work for me."

Martha recounted an incident from the previous year when her daughter had a fight with a maid after Daniel bought her gifts and airtime. She further highlighted that while Daniel had no issue spending money on the maid, he neglected their daughter's school fees, intensifying her frustration with him.

The situation escalated recently when Daniel allegedly sought the contact number of Martha’s new maid. According to Martha, this caused the maid to quit her job out of fear. She told the court that she only wanted Daniel to stay away from her household staff.

"I currently have another maid, and he came to my house asking for my maid’s number, which made her quit the job," Martha explained. "All I want is for him to stay away from my maids. If he wants to know how the children are doing, he can come to me, not through my maids. I am tired of being humiliated by people. I need my privacy and my space."

Daniel, however, denied all of Martha’s accusations, but admitted to requesting the new maid’s phone number. He explained that his intent was solely to inquire about his children’s wellbeing and to have the maid accompany the children when they visited him.

"I asked for her number because I wanted to ask about my children and also wanted her to accompany the children when they come to visit me," Daniel said. "My last born is my favourite, and I love him so I can't stay away from him. I want to see him every day. If this court order is granted, it will prevent me from going to visit my children, yet they are the ones I work for."

Despite his claims, the Harare Civil Court granted Martha’s request for a protection order. Magistrate Meenal Naratom ruled in her favor, acknowledging the distress caused by Daniel's behavior and granting Martha the peace of mind she sought in her home.

This case sheds light on the complexities of personal relationships and the impact of infidelity and abuse on family dynamics. Martha, now seeking a life of privacy and tranquility, hopes the protection order will prevent further interference from Daniel in her household.