Matabeleland woman living with three husbands under one roof

A HWANGE woman has shocked her locals after marrying five husbands, three of whom she is currently staying with under one roof, the state controlled Sunday Mail reported.

Her first two husbands have died, with one of them committing suicide after a traditional court tried to end the bizarre union.

The woman behind this unusual case of polyandry (having two or more husbands at the same time) is Ms Shupi Gladys Ngwenya from Gezi Line in Lupote Village, about 80km from the mining town of Hwange.

According to Lupote village head Ms Lydia Ncube, before Shupi's first husband died three years ago she married a second man and the three all stayed together.
Things turned sour after the village head summoned her over the unprecedented case of polyandry.

"Shupi was married and she took in another man to stay with her. We then summoned her and the second man to my place, where we fined the man one beast and ZW$10 000, but unfortunately he failed to pay up as he was unemployed. He took his life instead," said Ms Ncube.

After the second husband committed suicide, Shupi remained with the first husband, who later died of natural causes.
She then brewed another shocker by deciding to get three new husbands to replace the deceased two, a move which did not go down well with her son, who reported her to the village head again.

The son, only identified as Vusa, is said to have told the village head that he wanted his mother to choose only one man to settle with after which he initiated moves to build his own home far away from his mother's place.  It is said that despite the son's protests, the mother insisted that she wanted all three men, identified as an M. Dube (49), who works in Lupane; one Mackay and a Rodger, who are said to be both 46 years of age.

Rodger is said to have left his wife to go and stay with Shupi while Dube is being "consoled" by Shupi after losing two wives some time ago.

Villagers said for Shupi and her husbands, it was very normal to be seen sitting outside their homestead as if nothing was amiss.

"They do not care what people say. We see them sitting together outside the homestead laughing as if all is well," said one villager.

The village head said there was nothing she could do to Shupi.

"Although her behaviour is highly unacceptable, I cannot chase her away from the village as no other village head will accept her," said Ms Ncube.

When contacted to comment on the matter, Shupi spewed venom.

"What are you talking about? Do you think a woman can live with three men? It doesn't work out. Who told you this?.

"Yibo abaloye umkami, yibo abangifakelayo ukuthi ngidubeke. Khathesi angila mbuzi angila nkukhu, ngile nkomo eyodwa engasengeka (These people bewitched my husband and he died. They are the same people behind my misery.

"I have no goats, no chickens, I just have a single cow that can be milked)," she said.
Her son Vusa could only giggle when asked about his mother's shenanigans and could not say anything on the issue.

In Lupote and other African set-ups, it is taboo for a woman to have more than one husband at a time.
Zimbabwe National Traditional Healers' Association president Professor Gordon Chavunduka said it was abnormal for a woman to have more than one husband.

"It's not very common in our African set-up. There is no valid reason for such behaviour," said Prof Chavunduka.

Historian and newspaper columnist Mr Pathisa Nyathi shared similar sentiments.

"This is very weird in our African culture.

"I must say these bulls (husbands) are a different crew; they manage to stay together in one kraal which is not common," he said.