Demo against Chief Ndiweni
MORE than 50 villagers demonstrated against Chief Ndiweni of Ntabazinduna in Matabeleland North Province over allegations that he seized a woman’s cow and its calf as punishment for disobeying his orders.
The protesters, who came from wards 5, 7 and 8 marched to the chief’s homestead carrying placards written “Chief Ndiweni Tshiyana lenkomo zabantu”, “Ndiweni King Pharoah of Ntabazinduna”, “No abuse of women’’ on Friday. They attached the placards at the perimeter fence of the chief’s homestead and left them there when they were dispersed by a police officer who told them that they had not sought permission to carry out the demonstration.
The protest came amid allegations that the chief had fined a villager for adultery after he was caught making love to another villager’s wife in the bush. He ruled that the wife be taken to her parents’ home in Nkayi but she did not go. This prompted the chief to return the woman to her parents’ home despite the husband having “forgiven” her. As punishment for not obeying the orders of the chief, it is alleged that the chief then took the cow and its calf from the woman and her husband.
The woman, Nonkangelo Mpengesi (57) said the chief was threatening to send her to prison for disobeying his orders despite her husband having forgiven her. The husband, Mr Fetie Mbele (70) who is said to be having health problems said he went to the chief and told him that he had forgiven his wife after she admitted that she made a mistake.
“Since I’m sick I wanted my wife to be with me and take care of our children and grandchildren,” he said.
Mr Mbele who was in tears said: “They took away cattle from a sick man. I want my cattle back.”
He said he was happy that his wife had returned home. Their daughter, Nomzamo Mbele (21) said: “I feel happy and comfortable today that my mother has come back home. It wasn’t easy to take care of my siblings as I’m also a child.”
The protesters were however, met with silence at the chief’s homestead as there was no-one to respond to the allegations. Only a man who said he was the chief’s aide came out after some minutes ordering them to leave. Efforts to get a comment from the chief were fruitless.